


Five Evenings

by kwillow19



Series: Five Mornings [2]
Category: Amar a Muerte (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe- No Supernatural, F/F, Friends With Benefits, Original Character(s), Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-09
Updated: 2020-01-26
Packaged: 2021-01-26 08:49:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 28,614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21371431
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kwillow19/pseuds/kwillow19
Summary: The Valentina point of view companion piece to Five Mornings. Same timeframe, mostly different scenes.A chance meeting in a club one night set Juliana and Valentina off on a relationship they both struggle to define.
Relationships: Valentina Carvajal/Juliana Valdés
Series: Five Mornings [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1540699
Comments: 201
Kudos: 841





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This will probably make a lot more sense if you've read [Five Mornings](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20228416/chapters/47939458) first. 
> 
> This story is absolutely dedicated to all the kind souls that left comments and kudos. It's intended for those of you that are interested in what was going on with Valentina's POV during Five Mornings. There will be some lap over of scenes, but most of what I have planned is new moments and moments in between. Hope you enjoy! :)

_Valentina always liked nightclubs._

Not because she was super into dancing or enjoyed throngs of sweaty people. Not even because it was completely socially acceptable to consume excessive amounts of alcohol. Though, it was a nice bonus. What she really liked was the fact that she could be surrounded by people but feel no pressure to converse. Talking was pretty much impossible in these environments. She could have her friends close but, in some ways, also be completely alone. It removed the pressure of having to do anything other than exist. So when her friends had decided to move their little party to this thunderous bass filled, manufactured fog obscured place, she offered no protest.

Tonight was just like many before. She was pacing herself, casually sipping on champagne to keep her compulsive need to do something tactile with her hands at bay. Valentina was safely stowed away on a plush couch in a restricted section of the club. Her ex-boyfriend, Lucho, droned on near her. At this point in their friendship, she was already incredibly mastered at ignoring him for the most part. He was so deep into his drunkenness that she doubts he’ll remember much of anything from tonight, anyway.

The thought crosses Valentina’s mind that if was forced to sit amongst the crowd at the bar, she might feel differently about these places. Her family’s wealth afforded her space and the illusion of privacy, and she was very aware of that fact.

Although she preferred to lay low and withhold from any behavior that gave people the impression she was flaunting her money, she didn’t mind if her friends took advantage of the perks. Sergio was the perfect example of that. She had known the boy for years. His heart typically was in the right place, but he certainly had a knack for luring randoms into their VIP area in an attempt to impress them. Valentina didn’t have much of an issue with it, as long as they behaved.

Valentina spots a couple of her friends out mingling with some gentlemen on the dance floor. They motion for her to join them, but she waves them off. They were used to her desire to sequester herself at these places. With enough alcohol in her system, she could be convinced to join them. Tonight, she was happy to observe their debauchery from a distance. 

Valentina was never as close to her female friends, as she was her male friends. She preferred men for the same reason she likes clubs. For the most part, there was less pressure to connect on any serious level. They offered companionship, but they didn’t need vulnerability from her. The boys would just talk and talk about their own interests or desires or unrealistic expectations. They could go do crazy shit together that her female friends would panic at the idea of.

Lucho was a little bit of the exception. He always wanted more from Valentina than she wanted to give. Their two-year relationship was a roller coaster. Well, it held the promise of a roller coaster, but it always felt a bit more like one of those fair rides that just spins in a circle and uses gravity to pin you to the wall. The first spin is amusing, but by the tenth one you’re mostly just concerned about the state of your internal organs.

“You owe me a dance, chiquita.”

The sound of Sergio’s words pulls her from her thoughts. Valentina watches him lead a young woman out onto the dance floor. Her eyes are then drawn to another woman standing near them that’s watching the pair, as well. The woman’s arms are crossed and the edge of her champagne glass is resting against her lips. She’s watching Sergio and his _chiquita_ walk away. She doesn’t look the least bit forlorn, though. If anything, she seems absolutely unimpressed by the situation she’s found herself in.

Valentina averts her stare, as the woman turns around and makes her way to sit at the other the end of the couch. She glances at her out of the corner of her eye, watching her take sip of her drink and wince in response. She feels her lips twitch up into a small smile.

“Vale?” Lucho slurs out, his voice raising in volume. “Did you hear me?”

“What?” Valentina asks, shaking her head.

“I said, ‘have you seen Damian’s car?’ It’s like he’s just trying to copy me at this point. Like, that cheap imitation is embarrassing. I bet you his doesn’t even 0 to 60 in 8 seconds.”

Valentina raises her eyebrows and nods.

With any luck, Lucho will be on to his next topic soon—not that she even cares. His voice melts into the surrounding noise of the crowd and repetitive booming of the speakers. Valentina takes another sip from her glass and lets her mind drift, again. She finds her eyes being drawn back to the woman at the end of the couch. It’s like her thoughts are strangely tethered to her presence. She watches her for a moment, something pulling at her natural curiosity. The woman seems so disinterested in her surroundings. It was different than the shy or overwhelmed looking people she usually sees by themselves at clubs. This woman doesn’t appear to be intimidated or lacking confidence. Valentina thinks that maybe she’s just a kindred spirit content to be alone, as well.

Her attention bounces between Lucho’s rambling and the woman at the end of the couch. As soon as the woman finishes her drink, Valentina finds herself plucking the bottle from the table and leaning over to refill her glass. When the woman smiles at her in thanks, she feels suddenly transfixed. Her eyes are locked onto the dark ones that stare back at her with a similar intensity.

And, then Lucho is at it again. He’s yelling at Valentina for giving away the champagne that wasn’t really his to begin with. She dismisses him, per usual. It’s enough to send the woman at the end of the couch back into her own little world. And, rightfully so. Valentina would make the same choice, if she didn’t feel this weird sense of obligation to the boy. After all, it was her fault that he was around anyway. Not long after, the woman gets up and leaves the area.

Valentina downs what’s left of her own glass and stares at it disapprovingly. Champagne never did much for her, anyway. She stands up quickly, pushing past Lucho and making her way to the bar. She squeezes through the crowd, focused solely on obtaining something that will make this night better. Her palms slap against the lacquered wooden edge of the bar top, as she establishes her position in the line up. The motion catches the attention of a man near her, and she immediately rolls her eyes shooting him down before he can even speak.

“What can I get you?” the bartender asks, leaning towards her.

“Mezcal,” she answers.

“Shot?”

“Bottle.”

He nods in understanding.

“And, a shot glass,” she calls out to him, as he’s taking the few steps away to fulfill her order.

Valentina returns to her VIP area with a chilled bottle and two shot glasses in her hands. She drops herself unceremoniously back onto the plush couch, setting the items on the narrow table in front of her.

“Don’t open that. We’re going,” Lucho instructs her.

She’s never been one for dealing well with people telling her what to do. And, she’s officially reached the end of her patience with this particular person tonight. Valentina purses her lips, her lower jaw flexing as she shakes her head. She opens the bottle and pours a shot.

“Valentina!” he yells in response. “What did I just tell you?”

She downs the shot quickly, reveling at the feel of the liquid burning her throat and spreading to her stomach. This is the distraction she was looking for.

“I’m not going anywhere,” she states plainly.

“Yes, you are!” Lucho yells, as he hovers over her. His bloodshot eyes and sweaty forehead giving away that he’s far too gone for any rational conversation. “Everyone has already decided we’re going to the party. The car is outside.”

“Then go without me!” Valentina yells back, not looking at him. Her eyes are focused on the task of pouring another shot for herself.

“Why are you being like this? You’re always so difficult!”

“Oh! I’m difficult?”

“Come on!” Lucho says through gritted teeth, reaching out to grab Valentina’s arm.

His grip is strong enough to pull her up from her seat, and she yelps in response. She manages to slip away from his grasp and shove him. He lunges forward, his fists balled in anger. Sergio steps in between them wrapping his arms around Lucho and nudging him backwards.

“Whoa, whoa. Calm down, man,” he pleads.

Sergio glances back over his shoulder to see Valentina standing strong. Her gaze is trained on Lucho and the anger in her eyes is only intensifying.

“Both of you!” he yells.

“I’m not going to the party,” Valentina says in a huff. She drops back down into her seat.

“Fine,” Sergio responds. “That’s fine. Lucho, let’s go.”

Valentina’s ex runs a hand up through his hair and lets out a long breath. He nods in agreement.

“Let me apologize first,” he says quietly to Sergio.

Valentina feels the seat cushion next to her dip, as Lucho sits down gently.

“Vale, I’m sorry,” he offers.

Valentina shakes her head in response, refusing to make eye contact with him at this moment.

“You know I don’t mean anything by it. I just don’t want to leave you like this.”

His voice cracks at the end of his statement, and it’s just enough to make Valentina turn her head. She sees the sad look in his eyes. His lost expression is reminiscent of the vulnerable twelve year old boy she met so many years ago. His brow scrunches in a non-verbal plead for her to join them.

“Not tonight,” Valentina states softly.

His features instantly shift, and Lucho’s eyes flare once again with anger. He stands back up and licks at his lips.

“You never want to do anything!”

Valentina supposes she should be scared, but she finds his meager outbursts sad more than anything. He’s like a little dog, growling and snapping with no intention of doing anything other than putting on what he hopes is an intimidating show. Valentina takes a small sip from her shot glass and stares forward. When Sergio swoops in again and pushes at Lucho, it only slightly registers with her. She’s more interested in the alcohol in her hand. But when the woman from before takes a seat next to her, it registers with her a little more than she expects.

~~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was trying to post a longer first chapter for this, but I was hitting a wall with the beginning of the next scene. I've been sitting on this for a couple weeks, so I decided to go ahead and get this out there to hopefully help motivate me. And, interestingly enough, it ends up mirroring what happened with my writing of the first chapter of Five Mornings anyway. So me and Juliantina will let fate drive us. Haha. I'm so happy to be back!


	2. Chapter 2

Valentina stares out blankly at the crowd of people dancing. The potent alcohol she’s consuming is settling into her system and starting to make her feel numb to her surroundings. Even so, she still can’t help but feel hyper aware of the woman sitting next to her. It reminds her of this one time she sat at a bus stop—the only time, to be honest. She wasn’t waiting for a bus. She was waiting for her driver on the curb when a sudden downpour had compelled her to take cover. She ducked inside a small hut, and there was another person sitting there. They glanced at each other quickly, giving a slight nod of acknowledgment to the current weather predicament they found themselves trapped in. There was no need to force conversation in that moment. They felt no pressure to be anything more than just sharing the mutual need for a respite from the rain.

This moment in the club feels vaguely reminiscent of that rainy bus stop. An element beyond their control was forcing her and this woman into the same space. There was something quite different, though. Valentina can only trace the feeling back to the fact that she hopes when the rain lets up this time that the stranger next to her won’t just disappear.

Before she can stop herself, a question comes tumbling out of her mouth.

“So you’re not going to the party, either?”

A variety of expressions dance across the other woman’s face in an almost comical sequence.

Then she finally answers, “I wasn’t really invited.”

Although the news seems to surprise her as she says the words, the woman doesn’t seem upset by this fact. Valentina finds the general apathy and calmness in her response quite charming. She tries not to indulge in the feeling too deeply and turns her head forward to look at the crowd. She can feel the other woman’s eyes scanning her face, sizing her up in the similar fashion as Valentina was doing to her before. The stare doesn’t feel intrusive. It just feels curious and strangely warm. And, after some brief conversation, Valentina finds herself acquiescing to the woman’s request to dance.

She follows her closely through the droves of people to an open space on the dance floor. Valentina was grateful that she hadn’t just been dragged out here to find some boys to drunkenly rub up against. The woman seems as though she genuinely wants to dance, and Valentina can see why. She has a talent for it and moves easily to the beat of the music.

Valentina stands still, just staring at the woman until she remembers that she’s supposed to be dancing, as well. She closes her eyes and listens intently to the song. She’s not really feeling it, though, and only moves enough to not look completely out of place. When she opens her eyes, she sees the other woman staring at her with a sheepish grin. It makes Valentina feel suddenly self conscious. Her cheeks and neck warm in embarrassment.

“I told you I’m not very good!” she explains. Her voice rising up and giving away her discomfort.

“Valentina,” the woman responds. “You’re fine. Come here.”

Hearing her name on the other woman’s lips works to speed up the heartbeat in Valentina’s chest. Thought and speech seem to have temporarily abandoned her, so she follows the woman’s instructions without question. Valentina’s hands are placed on the other woman’s shoulders and her hands on Valentina’s hips. She begins to move them in sync and Valentina glances down at her feet to make sure she doesn’t step on her dance partner.

When she looks up, she leans in and asks for her name. The woman simply pulls her close and answers, “Juliana” in her ear. Valentina smiles in response.

Juliana wastes no time sliding her hands past Valentina’s hips and settling them against her lower back. The movement pulls them even closer and Valentina can’t help but beam as her eyes bounce from watching her feet to watching the other woman’s sly smile. Valentina laughs lightly as her awkward dancing gives way to a smoother rhythm and she relaxes into the motion. They’re close enough for her to feel Juliana’s breath on her lips and strands of Valentina’s hair brush against her face.

Valentina notices the playful glint in Juliana’s eyes, and she wonders—for a second time this evening—if she’s being flirted with.

Earlier, when they were talking on the couch, Juliana had called her “very charming” and mentioned that she was looking for company tonight. The words were innocent enough, but the way the other woman’s gaze kept dropping to her mouth was distracting to say the least. A light flirtation between new friends wasn’t a foreign concept to Valentina. It was just hard to get a solid read on the other woman in the context of all the alcohol and low lighting.

Valentina quickly decides that it doesn’t really matter. She was having a nice time. And, she couldn’t recall the last time she enjoyed dancing this much. Juliana’s guidance was making it easy for her to relax into the moment. So she does. She lets the other woman establish the pace and the proximity. When Juliana steps back to spin Valentina, she follows her lead and then attempts to copy the other woman’s movements. Of course, Valentina isn’t nearly as coordinated as Juliana and ends up causing the other woman to stumble in her rotation.

Valentina freezes, as she watches Juliana more or less fall into the arms of a gentleman dancing nearby. She can see her offer him a polite smile for his assistance. She momentarily wonders if this fumble will result in the loss of her dancing partner for the evening.

As she examines their interaction, she sees that Juliana’s movement isn’t nearly as loose as before. She looks stiff in the man’s arms. Juliana attempts to retreat, but he only grabs her harder. The action reminds her of Lucho, and Valentina reacts on instinct moving forward to handle the situation. Before she can step in, Juliana pushes at the man’s chest putting some distance between them.

Valentina lets out a breath and drops her shoulders, as the situation seems to be de-escalating. But suddenly the man is moving towards Juliana, again. There’s no hesitation in her reaction this time. She slides up behind Juliana and places her arm protectively around her chest. Juliana moves her hand up to intertwine their fingers, as Valentina’s eyes lock onto the aggressive stranger. She feels the anger rise at his arrogant posturing. Her grip tightens around her new friend, as her stare bores into him.

The soft brush of Juliana’s lips against her cheek catches Valentina off guard. She feels her heart race, as the other woman pushes a little harder letting the kiss linger. Valentina can’t quite tell if she’s blushing, but her face feels overwhelmingly warm at the sudden show of affection. She loses her focus for a moment. As soon as she regains it, she notices the man is retreating.

Valentina turns to look Juliana in the eyes. The minute their gazes meet, they both laugh in response to the situation. The mix of emotions and the resulting adrenaline courses through Valentina’s system, and she feels off kilter. She finds herself drawn to Juliana’s mouth—a familiar tension prickling at her spine. The feeling is unexpected, but not entirely unwelcome.

The noise around them blurs, as the moment hangs between them. Juliana is the first to break their stare with a small shake of her head. She resumes their dancing position from before. Except, this time, she rests her forehead gently against Valentina’s.

They barely make it through one song before Valentina decides that there’s way too many people around for her liking. She wants to be alone with Juliana. The thought insistently pushes against her brain until she verbalizes the request.

~~~

As soon as Valentina indicates that she’s ready to go, Juliana takes her hand and guides her toward the exit. As they step out, the cool night air envelops them. It feels refreshing in contrast to the humid, overheated club. Valentina watches the other woman retrieve a phone from her pocket and begin tapping at the screen.

“What are you doing?” Valentina asks, stepping closer to her.

“Calling an Uber.”

“There’s no need.”

Juliana looks up at her questioningly. Her brow is scrunched ever so slightly in response, and Valentina fights the smile at her lips. She doesn’t want to give away the fact that she thinks Juliana’s current expression is about the cutest thing she’s ever seen.

“I’ve got it handled,” Valentina explains.

She shoots off a quick text to her driver and then glances up. Juliana is staring at her own phone, thumbing through it. Valentina takes the moment to examine the other woman’s face that is lit up from the bright screen below. She has a natural beauty about her that Valentina admires. She wasn’t sure if she had really thought of a woman in this context before. But between Juliana’s flirtatious behavior and her seemingly general disinterest in men this evening, Valentina finds herself considering the attraction.

She glances down at their hands, fingers still intertwined. Valentina takes in a deep breath and gently shakes her hand loose. She brings it up to push a stray strand of hair out of her face.

“So…” she says, drawing the other woman’s attention back up. “You were just meeting up with your cousin tonight?”

“Yes,” Juliana answers, sliding her phone into her pocket. “She was very insistent on getting me out of the house.”

“Are you usually more of a hermit?” Valentina asks, biting lightly at her bottom lip.

Juliana smiles at her in response, her eyes glance away for a moment and then back. She moves her hands into the back pockets of her jeans, as she shifts on her feet. Valentina tilts her head, giving Juliana a small nod of encouragement to reply.

“Occasionally,” she finally states. “I’ve just been in a bit of a funk this week. My pity party was probably becoming a little self indulgent.”

Valentina’s eyebrows raise, and she purses her lips. She recalls Juliana’s words from their conversation on the couch earlier.

“Is it because of the ex that you don’t want to talk about?”

Juliana drops her stare and looks down at her feet.

“It’s just weird when you’re good friends with someone and then suddenly you’re not,” she comments.

Juliana raises her chin, and Valentina can see the light sheen on her eyes. She lets out a small huff and continues.

“I think the alcohol might be making me a little more emotional than usual tonight. It’s not my typical coping mechanism.”

A small, sympathetic pout forms on Valentina’s lips in response.

“Are you drunk?” she asks.

Juliana watches her closely as she shakes her head ‘no.’ A moment of pause falls between them and their eyes connect. Juliana’s jaw flexes ever so slightly, and then she nods. A laugh bubbles up from both of the women in reaction. It’s full and natural, and Valentina feels herself relax at the shared moment.

“A little,” Juliana affirms softly.

The motion of a large, black SUV pulling up to the curb pulls Valentina’s stare away from the other woman. As the car comes to a stop, she grabs the handle to the back door and opens it. She motions for Juliana to get in.

“So what is your typical coping mechanism?” Valentina asks.

“Ice cream,” Juliana responds quickly, as she slides into the back seat.

Valentina nods to herself and then climbs in to join her.

~~~

Valentina stares forward, looking out the front window of the SUV as it rolls along with the quiet late night traffic. She catches her driver’s eyes in the rear view mirror, and they smile at each other warmly. He returns his focus to the road, and Valentina looks over at Juliana. The other woman’s head is resting back against the seat and her eyes are shut. Valentina glances down at her hand that is on Juliana’s leg. The tip of her middle finger circles the top of the other woman’s mid thigh and then slides slowly down towards Juliana’s inseam.

At first, it was an absentminded gesture. Her foggy mental state and her restless hands had worked together to find something to keep her busy. She just didn’t expect that distraction to be a suggestive massage of her new friend’s leg. Her touch was light and non intrusive, though. Juliana seems comfortable with the caress so she continues, as she watches the passing street lights out the window.

Valentina wasn’t entirely sure what her plan was here. She thought if she could just get them home, then she could figure out what exactly it was she was intending to do. She had only had a few one night stands in her life. There was a time after she broke up with Lucho that she had partied a little too hard in an attempt to make sure there wasn’t anything she had missed out on during their relationship. She was always very into the idea of new experiences. They held a special excitement. But a couple random hookups was enough to teach her that they mostly just involved unsatisfying experiences and ended in awkward, headache-filled mornings.

The memories start to sober Valentina a little to the idea of bringing Juliana home. Perhaps, it wasn’t the best decision. But a strong curiosity fills her with the confidence to stick with it.

She had gay acquaintances, both male and female. But not any close friends, unfortunately. This was uncharted territory. Although, she found that it wasn’t really the exoticness that excited her. It was actually just Juliana. Her touch, her eyes, and her smell were all things that appealed to Valentina on an instinctual level. The idea didn’t feel as experimental, as it just felt indulgent. Like an overly decadent dessert that she would allow herself this one time.

The car pulls to a stop outside her condo, and Valentina returns her eyes to her hand still on the other woman’s thigh.

“I should have asked you this before, but did you want to be taken home?”

Valentina poses the question and then swallows thickly. She catches Juliana’s eyes flutter open in her periphery. She takes in a quick breath in an attempt to steel her nerves, and then continues.

“Or, do you want to come up?”

Valentina’s gaze moves up to connect with Juliana’s. She watches the other woman’s chest rise and fall with deep breaths. Juliana’s eyes are wide and filled with wonder. Then they shift and suddenly fill with panic.

_Fuck. _Valentina had read this all wrong.

“I was thinking we could just have some water and talk. You mentioned that you wanted company,” Valentina back-peddles immediately. She certainly didn’t want this if Juliana wasn’t interested. “I didn’t mean like…”

“Yeah. I didn’t think you meant that. I just—“

Valentina’s heart drops a little, as she anticipates Juliana’s next words. She’s not so much mortified by her suggestive behavior. She just feels a genuine sadness at the idea that she ruined her chances of spending anymore time with the other woman tonight. Every interaction they’ve had flashes before Valentina’s eyes, and she starts to question her understanding. Then Juliana’s words stop the spiraling anxiety.

“Let’s go up.”

Valentina feels the sudden swell of heat across her chest and face. A small smile forms on her lips, as she opens the car door for them to exit.

~~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'all. I just realized I'm essentially writing my own equivalent of the Juliantina extended scenes series. These ladies have always got me beat. I hope the lost footage in my brain for this story is just as entertaining!
> 
> Thank you all for the lovely welcome back! There was so much fantastic stuff that updated here lately, like Thick skin and an elastic heart, Leap and Dark Ocean. I was a little worried this would get lost in the mix. But y'all showed up to comment like champs!
> 
> I was feeling a little lukewarm about this chapter, so I read over my outline again last night. It reminded me of all the new stuff I'm like so amped to share. So thanks for sticking with me through this slight rehash. I felt like I needed it to set the stage, but I can't wait to get rolling. Hope you enjoyed! :)


	3. Chapter 3

Soft, warm puffs of air dance over Valentina’s lips. Juliana’s forehead is pressed tightly against hers, as they both work to settle their racing hearts and taxed lungs. The women are laying on their sides, with their bare bodies stretched out along the length of the couch. Their intertwined legs and flush torsos are covered in a light sheen of sweat. Juliana’s hand is resting on the side of Valentina’s long neck. Their heads are propped up, sharing one of the colorful throw pillows on her sofa.

Valentina listens as Juliana’s breathing gradually evens out. The other woman’s body relaxes in her arms, and she holds her firmly. Valentina glances up at the ceiling. Her mind feels blissfully, completely blank.

Her eyes flutter, and she takes in a deep breath. This is typically about the time she starts to figure out an elegant path to slip away to her own bed. She turns her head to the side, resting her lips against Juliana’s forehead right at the hair line. Oddly, the heated body against hers is not making her feel the least bit claustrophobic. A small sigh escapes her mouth. She knows she’ll rest better if she leaves, though.

Valentina reluctantly untangles their limbs, careful to not disturb the slumbering woman. She’s thankful that she’s on the open side of the couch so she can discreetly roll away. Her feet touch down on the floor and she stands carefully. She takes a moment to stabilize, as she still feels a little unbalanced from everything. Valentina pauses and glances around the room. She spots a folded blanket draped across the back of her living room chair. She moves over to retrieve it—grabbing the side and letting the rest drop to extend out fully. Valentina returns to the couch and places the cover gently over Juliana’s body. She watches as the other woman shifts and settles deeper into the cushions.

She doesn’t entirely understand why her legs seem frozen in place. This part should be easy. She should retire to her bedroom to brush her teeth, pull on an oversized t-shirt, and slide into her cool silk sheets. Valentina is feeling plenty sated and sleepy, so the hesitation she’s experiencing now doesn’t quite make sense. Juliana lets out a small content sigh, and Valentina immediately smiles in response. She examines the other woman closely, her gaze drifting over her face. Juliana’s long, dark lashes twitch a little in her sleep, and her lips part ever so slightly. She looks peaceful.

Valentina lets out a breath of her own. She knows exactly why she’s still standing here awkwardly in nothing but her birthday suit. It may be a new feeling, but there’s no point in denying it. Valentina doesn’t want to leave. She wants to be next to Juliana.

Before she can change her mind, Valentina moves forward to slide her slim frame between the other woman and the back of the couch. As she settles down, she adjusts the blanket moving her body underneath to spoon Juliana from behind. Her head drops to the pillow she was on before.

The sensation of their naked skin against each others inspires a sudden tightness in her chest. She drapes her arm over Juliana’s waist, pulling the other woman tighter and eliminating any remaining distance. She closes her eyes, and her mind begins to drift.

Things had been so unsure when they first arrived at her condo earlier. The ride over seemed to be pushing things in one direction, and then Valentina had made it uncomfortable by being too forward in her invitation. When they settled on her couch with their shared bottle of water and a telenovela on the tv, she really did think that the evening would only amount to some friendly conversation and a mutual parting. But then Juliana’s hand found its way to her bare leg. The other woman’s fingertips lightly circled the inside of her thigh, and it broke Valentina in a million beautiful ways.

As she caressed her, Juliana stayed focused on excitedly explaining the plot of the tv show they were watching. Valentina knew on some level that the woman had no clue what she was doing. The rush of excitement, heat, and dampness that her touch was causing had been just too overwhelming for Valentina to ignore. It typically took a lot more effort to get her worked up to the point she had found herself quickly slipping towards. The warmth that settled low and the pulsing she could feel under every inch of her skin, made her unusually bold. When her request to kiss Juliana was finally returned with a firm press of soft lips to her own, Valentina’s resolve completely cracked.

It was all so quick after that. A heated make out session turned into a handsy grinding. Her shirt was removed. Juliana’s mouth worked hungrily at her breasts. She couldn’t recall the exact moment she mounted Juliana, but she could remember with unbelievable clarity begging the other woman to touch her intimately. Once they crossed that line, it was just a frenzied, soaked race to the finish line. The only thought that filled her brain after her amazing orgasm was that she had discovered some rare, brilliant thing that she wanted to share with Juliana immediately. 

So she did.

The women had rushed to remove the rest of their clothing. Valentina slipped her skirt and underwear quickly down her hips, while Juliana took off her jeans. The other woman had paused momentarily when Valentina stood completely bare before her. Then, like a switch had been flipped, her eyes lit up and she pulled off her own shirt and bra. Valentina slid back onto the couch and reconnected their lips. They kissed each other thoroughly, as Valentina lowered them down on the cushions. Their open mouths stayed connected, as they settled their completely naked bodies against each other for the first time.

Valentina felt a desperate need to touch Juliana everywhere. She pressed in, pushing her thigh between the other woman’s legs as she pinned her against the back of the couch. Juliana responded instantly, moving her hips against her. She was already so warm and slick, and Valentina’s mind almost completely short circuited at the sensation.

Valentina pulled her torso back just enough to run her fingers down Juliana’s collarbone to her chest. She stopped at her breasts, letting her thumbs circle her nipples. Juliana moaned at the touch, and it encouraged Valentina’s attention. She felt her mouth salivate at the thought, so she quickly dipped her head down to work at the stiff peaks with her lips and tongue. She had taken her time, sucking and licking at the flesh—leaving small pink marks in her wake.

Her hands slid down, gripping at Juliana’s hips. Their continued grinding was steady and aggressive. The strained sounds bubbling up from Juliana’s throat indicated that she was fast progressing towards her release. Valentina separated them just enough to get a hand in between her thigh and Juliana. She wanted her touch to be more targeted than just the broad push of her leg. She worked to gather Juliana’s wetness on her fingertips and then slid them up to put pressure where the other woman needed it most.

“What do you want?” Valentina had asked her in a whisper, as she panted.

“Qué?” Juliana had responded immediately.

Her breaths were ragged and brow was scrunched at the sudden question. Juliana’s hand moved up to cup her jaw. A smile played at Valentina’s lips.

“I’ll do whatever you want,” Valentina clarified. “Just tell me what feels good.”

Juliana nodded in understanding, as Valentina’s fingers continued to stroke her. The other woman moved to connect their lips, again. Her tongue slipped deeply into Valentina’s mouth, and then she backed just a millimeter away.

“I like…” she said and paused against Valentina’s lips. “I liked being inside of you.”

Valentina closed her eyes and whimpered softly at her confession. She nuzzled her cheek harder into Juliana’s hand. The other woman pressed her thumb against Valentina’s parted lips in response. She opened her mouth at the touch and turned her head so she could take the digit in deeper. Her soft, wet tongue slid under the pad of Juliana’s thumb. She suckled at it lightly at first and then with more pressure. She opened her eyes to see Juliana staring intently at her mouth. Juliana retracted her thumb and caressed Valentina’s jawline.

Their movement stilled, as their eyes locked onto each other. Their shared deep breaths hung between them—the intensity building rapidly. Juliana ever so slowly moved her index and middle fingers to Valentina’s lips. Valentina kept her eyes fixed on Juliana’s, as she adjusted her angle so she could fully take the other woman’s fingers into her mouth. She flattened her tongue to make space for them, as Juliana pushed deeper.

Valentina simultaneously moved her hand against Juliana’s wet center and lowered her jaw to set a sucking rhythm with her mouth. Juliana’s eyes fluttered and a ripple of pleasure shook through her chest. She moved her hips and fingers in time with Valentina’s motion.

What had started slowly, quickly returned to their previous thundering pace. Except, this time, the women struggled to look away from each other. Their gazes stayed locked as they moved perfectly in sync. The mix of sensations overwhelmed Juliana. She finally had to forfeit the eye contact, as her brow knitted and her head pushed back into the cushions behind her. Valentina watched the column of muscle in front of her stretch and strain as the Juliana cried out in pleasure.

Valentina feels the other woman shift against her, and it pulls her back into the present. She takes in some breaths to calm her pulse, as she eyes the sleeping woman in her arms. Juliana pushes her backside tighter into Valentina’s hips, and she bites at her bottom lip to suppress a small moan. If it wasn’t for the alcohol and the fact that she was genuinely tired, Valentina was unsure she’d be able to sleep tonight—not with Juliana so close.

After a deep, calming breath and a few quiet minutes, she finally slips under.

~~~

Valentina slowly opens her eyes. Her vision is blurred but acute enough to register that there is way too much sunlight in the room for her liking. She lets out a soft groan, as she brings her hand up to shield her eyes. Valentina reaches out blindly, confirming her suspicions that she is now alone on the couch. Her heart races at the thought of Juliana possibly somewhere in her home, and she focuses her ears listening for the other woman. She can hear the soft sounds of traffic on the street below, but everything else seems eerily quiet.

“Ay, Valentina,” she says softly to herself, rolling to her back.

She takes a moment and then moves to sit upright. Her muscles feel stiff, as she adjusts her position. Valentina stands and makes her way across her living room, through her bedroom and into the adjoining bathroom. She uses the facilities and then retrieves some Ibuprofen from the medicine cabinet. Part of her was hoping that she’d find Juliana somewhere on her path and part of her is thankful to not have to make conversation in her state.

Valentina returns to the couch, and plops down heavily. She opens her clinched fist to look down at the three small pills in her hand. Then her chin lifts up, as she searches for the bottle of water they left on the coffee table last night. When she spots it, her head tilts ever so slightly to the side as she examines it.

The bottle is full. That’s not how she remembers leaving things.

She watches as a water droplet collects, finally becoming heavy enough for gravity to send it tumbling down the side. The condensation gives away the fact that this bottle has recently been retrieved from her refrigerator. She swallows thickly at the implication.

Valentina blinks her eyes rapidly and then moves forward to pick up the bottle. Her hand applies pressure, twisting the plastic cap to break the seal. The stuttered snapping sound echoes in the empty room. She quickly downs the medication with a large drink of water. She rests the bottle on her knee. The contrast of the cold, wet plastic bites a little against her warm flesh.

She stares forward blankly for a moment and then raises the bottle to her lips. Her dry eyes suddenly sting with the threat of tears. Valentina focuses on the cool water moving down her throat. She gulps at it greedily, desperate for any sensation to distract her. Only when the need for air becomes overwhelming does she break the bottle away from her lips. She pulls in a few deep breaths in response, and wipes at the excess water around her mouth.

Valentina stands up quickly and walks over to the tall windows in her living room. She grabs the edge of the drapes, sliding them closed and blocking out the strong light that fills the room. She finishes off the bottle of water, as she makes her way over the kitchen island. She retrieves her phone from the surface, where she had left it to charge last night, and heads directly back to the couch.

She slides back down onto the cushions and pulls the blanket over herself in a huff. As she settles, she takes in a deep breath. The smell of Juliana still clings to her hand and her cover. She closes her eyes tightly, feeling a few hot tears on her cheeks.

_No._ She’s not doing this. She’s not crying over a one night stand.

Valentina adjusts, letting out another breath. Her mind settles and everything goes black, again.

~~~

The repetitive ring of Valentina’s phone blares out into the low lit room. It sounds distant at first, like a strangely placed noise in a dream. The ring becomes steadily clearer and clearer until Valentina registers that it’s really happening. She opens her eyes, scanning the table next to her for the device. She picks it up quickly and pulls it to her ear.

“What?” she answers, grumpily.

“Vale, where the hell are you?” her brother Guille ask.

“Oh, god,” Valentina groans, as she struggles to sit up. “I’m sorry.”

“We’ve been waiting for you for over half an hour.”

“I said I’m sorry.”

“Are you bailing on us, again?” he questions, his voice sounding more like a statement.

“No, no,” she apologies. “I just overslept. I’ll head down there.”

Valentina pushes the blanket off of her and groggily rises to her feet. She takes two steps forward and immediately stops in her tracks when her big toe slams into the leg of the coffee table.

“Ah. Motherfu—“

“Hey, Vale,” her brother says, interrupting her. “Are you ok?”

The honest concern in his voice makes her pause. Between the pain in her toe and in the angst in her heart, she’s feeling more vulnerable than she cares for at the moment.

“I’m fine,” she states, in her best attempt to be an adult about all this.

“Hermanita,” Guille responds softly.

Valentina lets out a long breath and begins carefully walking towards her bedroom.

“Yeah. I’m just having a rough morning.”

“Afternoon,” he replies quickly.

“What?”

“It’s like 1:30 pm.” A few seconds of silence falls between them and then he continues. “We’ll talk about it later, yeah?”

“Yes,” she acquiesces.

“Alright. I’ll send the car,” he replies. “See you soon.”

Valentina hangs up and drops her phone on her bed. She runs her hand up through her hair, pushing it away from her face. She wants to just crawl under the covers and hide for a bit, but she made her brother a promise. She shakes her head, as she steps into her bathroom for a quick shower.

~~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one goes out to the person that left the comment about wishing they got to see Juliana's first time with Valentina. I opted to leave it out of the original story, because I was overly cautious about being gratuitous with the sex scenes. But it made me realize there was a whole part of this story I wasn't sharing. So now we have this sequel situation.
> 
> Also, sorry about the delay! We're going to 100% blame my gf. She wanted to go see the new Terminator movie, but that meant I also had to watch the first two films beforehand. I warned her that this was going to take up my time usually reserved for writing and she'd potentially have to suffer the wrath of my readership. She was willing to take that chance. Hope it was worth the wait and you enjoyed ;)
> 
> Come yell at me [@kristonica on tumblr](https://kristonica.tumblr.com)


	4. Chapter 4

Valentina lets out a long breath, as she slowly walks along the city sidewalk. The mid afternoon sun is reflecting off the mirrored windows of the high-rise buildings that line the street. Her arms are crossed in front of her and she scuffs her feet lightly, as the group makes their way from her condo. Guille and his fiancé, Renata, are chatting behind her. They’re bantering about the usual topics—couple stuff, like dinner plans and chores. She’s typically much more engaged in their conversations, but today she’s unable to find the energy. It’s been the same problem for the last four days since the night club.

She’s struggling to get that night out of her head. It plays over and over again—the things she said, the things she did. It’s like her brain is trying to reassemble all the pieces to figure out the perfect scenario that would have resulted in her not waking up alone. She can’t stop thinking about Juliana. This had never happened before. She had never been so obsessed with someone she knew so little about.

Valentina knows exactly where she went wrong that evening. She should have done the responsible thing. She should have just asked for Juliana’s number and had her driver take her home. But, it was that one pause. It was that one small misstep. She invited Juliana upstairs, and she ruined any chance of this playing out any other way. She didn’t blame the other woman for taking off. She wonders if its just karma for having done the same before.

What gets to her, though, is that damn full water bottle. When she closes her eyes, she keeps seeing it sitting so invasively on her coffee table. She can’t help but feel it would make things easier if Juliana had just slipped out that morning without leaving it for her. It served as this sign that she cared. It kept this sliver of hope alive in Valentina’s chest. It was very annoying.

“Vale,” she hears her brother call out. She glances back at him, as the group continues walking. “Will you please tell Renata that folding a t-shirt quickly is more complicated than it looks?” Renata starts to respond and then is cut off abruptly as he continues. “And, that years of training from early childhood have skewed her interpretation of her skills in that area.”

Valentina keeps her stare forward. She shakes her head dismissively.

“I think,” Renata replies and then pauses, laughing at him. “I think you just need to admit that you’re not naturally gifted in this department and that it has absolutely nothing to do with your upbringing.”

“Oh, I see,” Guille comments sarcastically. “The logical conclusion is just that I’m untalented.”

Valentina looks back over her shoulder at his remark. She raises her eyebrow to indicate that she agrees with his statement.

“No, babe. You’re totally capable of learning,” his fiancée reassures him. “You just need to practice. Like, this week, you’ll fold all of our laundry.”

The pair go quiet behind Valentina, and she stops for a moment to wait for them.

“I don’t think either of us want that,” Guille states flatly.

Renata grabs his chin, and looks him dead in the eyes. They both break out in laughter, as they shake their head in affirmation.

Valentina watches them for a moment, a small smirk playing at her lips. They’re cute. She’ll give them that. Where that usually is not a problem, it’s not her favorite thing to witness right now. It makes her feel lonely in a way that she hasn’t felt in years. She looks down at her feet for a second and then back up. She continues leading their trek from her condo to the nearby cafe. What she really needs right now is caffeine. She’s convinced that will make everything better.

“Hey, princess grumpy. Are you going to pout the whole time, or are you actually going to talk to us?” Guille asks, as he moves closer behind her.

“Back off,” Renata replies quickly. Her tone is even and protective. “Vale just got her heart broken.”

Valentina rolls her eyes at the comment and quickly turns on her heel to face them.

“My heart is not broken,” she responds.

They both stare at her skeptically. Guille sidesteps her to open the door to the cafe. He grabs the handle and then pauses.

“Right. I think you’re just stuck in your head secretly hoping that you’ll run into your Prince Charming, again.”

He pulls the door open quickly and nods to the side as an indication for Valentina to go ahead. Her eyes stay locked to his and she steps blindly towards the threshold. She doesn’t make it two steps before she finds herself bumping shoulders with someone heading out of the door. She jumps back in surprise the moment they make contact.

“Whoa! Sorry about that,” Guille offers, as soon as he witnesses the collision.

Valentina glances over at him disapprovingly and then back to apologize to the person she ran into. When her eyes take in the woman before her, Valentina freezes perfectly still.

The direct sunlight in Juliana’s eyes is delaying the recognition. Valentina swallows thickly and her heart pounds in her ears. She swears she can hear a click when the other woman finally realizes exactly who it is that she bumped in to.

“Hi,” Valentina says, the greeting barely squeaking out of her throat.

“Sorry,” Juliana responds.

The word is just a whisper on her lips. It echoes in Valentina’s head, and she realizes how deeply she wishes it was an apology for something else. What surprises her most, is that the look in Juliana’s eyes seems to indicate that she understands that desire. It doesn’t take more than a few silent seconds for the pull between them to return.

“Do you know each other?” she hears her brother ask, breaking their staring contest.

“Yes! This is my friend…”

Valentina feels the panic rise quickly and intensely in her chest.

Juliana. This is her friend, Juliana. She knows the answer to this, but her anxiety is jumbling up everything in her brain. She suddenly feels unsure that she could even correctly answer what two plus two equals.

Thankfully, the other woman grants her reprieve by mercifully finishing her sentence. Juliana glances at her, with a playful smirk. Valentina introduces her brother and Renata. It’s the least she can do. Then she hears Guille inviting Juliana to join them today, and she swears she’s never felt this level of downright terror and absolute hope in her life before.

They all start talking. Guille and Renata are making polite conversation with Juliana. They’re joking about work and the cookies they promised to bake. Valentina is picking up on words here and there, but she’s still struggling to keep everything together. It all seems like a weird fever dream. I mean, what is Juliana even doing here? Had Valentina finally lost it, and she was hallucinating this? She thought the other woman was for sure supposed to be somewhere back in Texas by now.

“So you’ll join us?” Guille asks her.

He’s looking at Juliana with his most charming puppy dog expression. Juliana’s not falling for it, though. She’s clearly prepping to let him down easy. The idea of the other woman disappearing again fills Valentina with such an enormous foreboding regret. She has to try. She has to at least attempt to get her number or something. She can’t continue to just run on autopilot, standing here awkwardly like misplaced lawn furniture scattered in a storm.

Valentina reaches out, gently touching Juliana’s wrist. The excitement fills her chest. She gives it her best effort. At the very least, she has to let the other woman know that she wants her around.

“No pressure,” she says softly. “But I’d like it if you could.”

~~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the very short chapter! I'm hoping to spend some time writing this weekend. This scene has been sitting on my laptop for a few days or so. I figured I'd just go ahead and post it to keep things moving in my brain. Hope you enjoyed :)


	5. Chapter 5

“I hope this is ok,” Guille says softly, as he places his jacket on one of the pegs by the front door.

Valentina is standing in the foyer next to her brother. She shifts on her feet, as she watches Renata and Juliana walk through her living room towards the kitchen. She keeps her eyes on the women for as long as possible and only turns her head to give Guille an incredulous look in response.

“You’ve been down here lately,” he explains, his hands raising in defense. “I thought having a friend around would help. I know it’s usually not a problem, but maybe it would alleviate any third wheel feelings.”

Valentina narrows her eyes at him and then softens her expression. She’s still not sure if she should slap him or thank him for inviting Juliana to join them. She figures only time will tell. Either way, she really does believe he meant no harm. She’s also pretty sure its yet to dawn on him exactly how she knows the other woman. Valentina starts to walk away but pauses mid step. She smacks Guille’s arm lightly, just in case this turns out to be a terrible idea. He flinches in mock pain, as he fights a smile.

Renata is standing in the kitchen chatting away, as she pulls items from the grocery bags. Valentina approaches quietly. She watches Juliana, her eyes bright and attentive as she leans against the counter listening. Juliana’s hair is pulled back in a high pony tail, and Valentina notices a few tendrils are loose and brushing against her defined jaw.

“My work does this charity event for foster children,” Renata explains. “It’s like this ‘bake sale’ sort of thing where they can get involved.”

Juliana nods and pushes away from the counter. She reaches up and opens a couple cabinet doors. She finally spots what she’s looking for and pulls down a large mixing bowl. Juliana walks over to Renata, placing the bowl next to the ingredients on the counter.

“Thanks,” Renata says quickly. She offers a small smile and continues. “It’s mostly just a bunch of rich people getting drunk and paying exorbitant prices for homemade cookies.”

“Sounds fun.”

“It really isn’t,” Valentina says, inserting herself into the conversation.

Juliana offers her a closed-mouth smile, as she watches Valentina slide up next to her.

“It’s actually pretty condescending. These poor kids go through enough, and they’re making them hock cookies to rich people just so the old fogies can feel good about pretending to care. They could just sign a check in the privacy of their own homes, but everyone wants to make a show of it.”

Renata rolls her eyes playfully in response.

“It’s not that bad,” she defends. “Valentina has just spent too much time with the ‘old fogies.’”

“You mean, I know all the terrible things they’ve done.”

“But we’re still doing this, right?” Renata questions.

There’s a small pause and then Valentina reluctantly nods. Renata scans her phone for a minute and then sets it down on the counter next to them.

“Recipe is on there,” she says and then turns around. “You two can get started while I figure out this contraption.”

Valentina and Juliana glance at each other, as the sound of electronic beeps echoes through the space. Renata is punching at buttons on the double convection ovens. Valentina picks up the phone and reads the ingredients quickly. She has no idea what she’s doing, but that’s never stopped her before. She looks up from the device in her hand to see her brother being as useful as ever. He’s sitting on one of the tall chairs on the other side of the kitchen island thumbing through his phone.

Juliana is standing close to her, carefully pulling open a bag of flour. She then grabs a measuring cup and drops a few scoops into the mixing bowl.

Valentina lets out a small breath. Her mind is bouncing between measuring ingredients and trying to find something to talk to Juliana about that doesn’t involve her just blurting the question, “why did you leave?” She turns the spoon in her hand, letting the salt fall onto the flour in the bowl.

“Oh, wait,” she hears Juliana say suddenly.

“What?”

“That’s the salt?”

“Yeah.”

“It’s only supposed to be one teaspoon.”

“Right,” Valentina replies. “I only put one.”

“Teaspoon,” Juliana states plainly, lowering her chin and making direct eye contact.

Valentina shrugs and her eyebrows raise in question.

“That’s a tablespoon,” Juliana explains.

Valentina glances down at the measuring tool in her hand. Her head tilts, as she examines the uppercase ’T’ on the handle. Her gaze drifts up slowly. When their eyes meet, they both let out a small laugh.

“I can fix it,” Juliana whispers, as she pulls the bowl over in front of her.

Valentina offers her a warm smile in thanks and she responds with her own. The seconds stretch between them, as they drift closer. Neither of them are interested in looking away.

“Fix what?” Renata asks.

Her sudden presence startles them both and the women move back in response. Valentina turns around quickly, using her slight frame to shield the counter from Renata.

“Nothing,” she replies curtly.

Renata raises her eyebrow in response. Valentina peers quickly over her shoulder to see Juliana delicately scooping up the small area where the salt had already mixed with the flour. The other woman pokes at Valentina’s arm to signal she’s all done. Valentina relaxes and steps to the side, as Renata moves forward. Her eyes scan the counter.

“Vale used the tablespoon instead of the teaspoon, didn’t she?”

Juliana coughs lightly, as she shifts under Renata’s gaze.

“I can neither confirm or deny that, but I will say we’re ready to add the rest of the ingredients.”

“Oh, no. Don’t do that, Juliana,” Renata states plainly. “You’ll spend a lifetime covering for her, if you start now.”

Valentina can see the pink flush form on Juliana’s cheeks.

“I wouldn’t mind,” she whispers to Valentina, moving to lean against the counter opposite of her.

Valentina looks down shyly for a second and then brings her head up when Juliana speaks, again.

“Where are the baking trays?” she asks.

Valentina points to the drawer just below the ovens, and she nods in understanding. As Juliana bends over, Valentina turns around quickly to avert her gaze. She’d like to pretend that she has enough self control to not ogle the other woman, but their time together so far is proving otherwise.

She shakes her head a little, attempting to focus on helping with the task at hand. Valentina didn’t feel like she really needed the confirmation, but if she did, it was becoming very clear that any concern she may have had that her attraction to Juliana was only a one time, alcohol fueled thing was completely unfounded.

She pulls at the sides of the thin plastic bag that holds the chocolate chips, tearing it open at the seam. She then looks over at Renata expectantly.

“We need two cups of those.”

Valentina nods and begins pouring them into the bowl with the flour.

“Here we are,” Juliana states.

Her words draw Valentina’s attention up. She watches Juliana closely, as she sets the baking trays on the counter and then pushes the loose tendrils of hair back from her face. The sleeves on Juliana’s shirt are rolled up, and Valentina eyes follow the muscles in her forearms as they flex slightly at the motion.

“Valentina!”

Renata’s voice brings her attention back. Valentina looks down at the way too many chocolate chips now piled in the bowl. She sets the bag down on the counter with a small plop. Her mouth hangs open, disappointed at her second error so early in this baking adventure.

“You know,” Renata comments, as she begins plucking the chocolate chips from the flour and placing them in a smaller bowl by themselves. “Everyone has something different to offer. Like, your brother there will be ordering and picking up dinner for us when we’re ready.”

Valentina glances at him. His focus is still on his phone, but he raises his hand to his temple to salute Renata’s words.

“Maybe you could help with the washing,” she continues. “We only have these three trays, so we’ll need to keep them clean.”

Valentina pouts in response, her hands moving to her hips. Juliana steps up next to her, placing her arm around Valentina’s shoulders.

“Don’t be sad,” she says, her grip tightening a little in comfort. “At least, she’s letting you stay in the kitchen.”

~~~

Valentina places the last few cookies left on the cooling rack into a tupperware container. She scans the counter top, finding the matching lid and seals them carefully. Renata is washing up their dishes from dinner, and Juliana’s drying them while they talk. There’s been something strangely domestic about the whole afternoon. A small breath escapes Valentina’s lips. Juliana seems to be fitting in so seamlessly, and it’s doing nothing to calm her growing obsession.

Valentina feels a tap on her shoulder and turns around to see Guille standing there. He nods his head to the side, motioning for her to follow him. The siblings step away quietly towards the front door of her condo. Once they’re just out of view behind the foyer wall, her brother moves in close.

“Why didn’t you tell me that _that’s_ who you slept with?” he asks in a whisper.

The baffled expression on his face is almost enough to make Valentina laugh. When Juliana made the comment earlier about them not doing much talking the other night, and it finally clicked with Guille how they knew each other, she thought her poor brother was going to keel over.

The moment quickly shifts from humorous to tense, as Valentina goes to answer his question. She feels her heart pound in her chest.

“I was unsure of how’d you react,” she says timidly, as she bites at the corner of her lip.

He watches her for a moment, his dark eyes unreadable. His brow then softens, as he starts to realize just how nervous Valentina is sharing this news.

“Hey,” he says gently. “There’s nothing wrong with it.”

Guille reaches out, rubbing her shoulder. Valentina finally starts to relax a little and lets out a shaky breath. Her brother’s eyes become inquisitive, and she watches him hesitate before his next words.

“Have you always been into women?”

“This is the first one,” Valentina admits quickly.

He offers her a small smile in response.

“Well, first of all, you have excellent taste. And, second, I’m guessing it went well."

Valentina feels a sudden heat warm her neck and cheeks. She purses her lips and looks away in embarrassment.

“I’m just so confused,” she states, as she shakes her head lightly. “You don’t even want to see my search history from the day after it happened.”

“I’m pretty sure I do,” Guille replies.

“Don’t be a pervert.”

“Sorry. I was joking. It’s just. You could have told me that she was the one—“

“I thought you would have put the pieces together when she mentioned the night club,” Valentina whispers, her hands extending out with her palms up.

“I didn’t—“

The sentence suddenly dies on Guille’s lips, as the line of his gaze moves behind Valentina. She doesn’t even need to turn around. She knows Juliana is standing there. Her brother glances at her and offers a sheepish grin. Valentina winces and turns around slowly. She has no clue how much of that conversation Juliana had been privy to. Before she has a chance to make it super awkward, Juliana steps forward handing the stacked containers full of cookies to Guille.

“Renata will be here in a second. She just needed to run to the bathroom first.”

“Cool,” Guille replies.

Valentina rolls her eyes at him. She knows she’s not the smoothest, but her brother seems downright hopeless sometimes.

Thankfully, Renata shows up suddenly and distracts everyone from attempting to address the prior conversation. Guille and her say their good byes, and Renata promises to fill her in later on the event. Valentina watches them make their way down the hallway. She waves at the couple as they disappear onto the elevator, and then closes her front door.

Valentina’s chest fills with excitement at the idea of finally being alone with Juliana, again. When she turns back around and they make eye contact, the feeling in her limbs suddenly abandons her. She fights to keep herself standing upright.

“So, we should probably talk,” Juliana states.

The other woman’s expression looks nervous but hopeful, and Valentina calms a little at the sight. She watches Juliana walk into the living room and sit down on the couch. Valentina takes a small detour to retrieve her drink from the kitchen island before joining the other woman. She sips at her wine, as she settles in next to her. Then she places her glass on the coffee table.

They just watch each other for a moment. Valentina knows how much is fluttering through her mind. She can only imagine what Juliana must be thinking. Valentina had always been fairly good with words. She could form a solid argument and convince people of things pretty easily. She was fine at small talk and even deeper conversations, when she wanted to be. Something about Juliana’s presence left her transfixed—made her feel like words wouldn’t be a sufficient enough form of communication. She had watched her friends stumble and go quiet around people they liked. It made Valentina curious if maybe she had just never genuinely experienced attraction before.

“This is weird,” Juliana says, as a small nervous laugh escapes from her throat.

Valentina only nods in response. Her tongue slips out to lick at her bottom lip. She then scrapes her top teeth against it slowly, as she tilts her head to the side.

“I’m glad we ran into you,” she states.

“Me, too,” Juliana responds softly.

Valentina can feel her chest rising and falling deeply with each breath. Their eyes are locked onto each others. The sound of rain starting to patter lightly against the outside windows just barely registers in Valentina’s ears. The women move towards each other slowly. She glances down at Juliana’s parted lips and then reaches out to gently run her fingers along the other woman’s jawline.

“This couch is nothing but trouble for us,” Juliana whispers, her eyes refusing to break contact with Valentina’s.

“Oh. You’re going to blame the couch?” Valentina asks facetiously. “Not the fact that you had your lips wrapped around my fingertips earlier.”

“You were the one that insisted I eat the chocolate chip.”

“Right,” Valentina says quickly and then leans in.

Her lips meet Juliana’s softly and she sighs ever so slightly at the contact. They shift their bodies towards each others, and Valentina’s hand slips down to Juliana’s neck. She uses the leverage to pull the other woman closer and deepen the kiss. Valentina’s head swims at the sensation. It was like she was lost at sea on a beautiful warm summer day. The natural ebb and flow of their lips against each others feels like floating along in the gentle swells of the waves.

Part of her felt so dumb for romanticizing their kisses. She couldn’t help it, though. Juliana’s lips massage against hers in a way that evokes something deeper. It was a brand new feeling and one she had no concern losing herself in. The stroke of the other woman’s tongue against her own quickly elicits the other feeling that dominates when Juliana is so close. Desire rises quickly in her veins, and the excitement and heat begins building between them.

~~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Look at that! It's the rest of the chapter from the scene I posted on Friday night. Y'all are still so appreciative when I post so little, and I want you to know that I appreciate that about you. Hugs for everyone.
> 
> On a related note, I wanted to say that I sympathize with Barbara's puppy. I think if she left me alone in her apartment, I probably would also chew her furniture. 
> 
> Hope you enjoyed :)


	6. Chapter 6

“Let’s go to the bedroom.”

The suggestion rolls from Valentina’s lips. She’s laying on top of Juliana on the couch, placing kisses along her mouth and chin. Their legs are intertwined and bodies pressed tight, as they move rhythmically against each other.

Just ten minutes ago, they were sitting a polite distance finally discussing the topic that had been weighing on Valentina’s mind all afternoon. Juliana had pulled back from their previous make out session and apologized for disappearing the other morning. Her reason was pretty much what Valentina had suspected. Juliana had woken up feeling confused about what to do, panicked a little and left. She had no intention of making Valentina feel unwanted—it wasn’t like that. She was just unsure of how to handle things and decided it was best to just go. Valentina had told her that she understood her decision.

It didn’t exactly erase the pain of being left, but it did work to soothe the feeling of being rejected. Although, Valentina was ready to forgive the other woman of almost anything if it meant that she would place her lips against hers, again.

It would have been easy for them to have just used each other the other night. They both clearly were in need of something and, for whatever reason, seemed capable of giving it to each other. But where Valentina’s encounters with previous partners had always been somewhat rushed and self-focused, with Juliana there was a natural calmness and compassion. Everything about Juliana felt soft and warm. Even though their first time was a bit of a hurried experience, it still felt like a genuine connection that came with the desire to make the other person feel good.

Both women had seemed satisfied with their first go around, but it didn’t stop the lingering worry that there was more Valentina could have done. Having never previously considered being with a woman, her search for information after their encounter had started off as general curiosity. As she got deeper into the topic, her mind filled with possibilities of what could have been. Now that fate had brought Juliana back into her world, she didn’t want to miss her second chance at giving the other woman everything.

“I want to go down on you,” Valentina whispers, against Juliana’s lips.

She hears the other woman hum and feels her mouth turn up into a lazy smile as they kiss.

“Is that something you like to do?” the other woman asks in return.

It wasn’t a reply that Valentina was expecting, and it takes a moment for the intent of the question to settle in her brain.

“Isn’t that something you want me to do?”

She asks the question, as she moves her mouth down to Juliana’s neck. Her lips latch onto her pulse point, and she sucks gently at the skin. She can feel the other woman’s throat move as she swallows.

“I don’t know.”

Juliana’s words come out in a small whisper, and it causes Valentina to lift her head away in response. For the first time, Juliana looks unsure. She doesn’t seem uncomfortable or questioning of what they are doing. She just looks sincerely at a loss of how to answer. Her sudden vulnerability strikes a chord with Valentina, and she feels compelled to share.

“After we were together, I did some light Googling. I wasn’t sure if I had given you everything you liked. I’m not—”

Valentina hesitates. She doesn’t know what she is, and she feels in no position to label herself in this moment.

“I hadn’t been with a woman before,” she finishes with instead.

“Me either,” Juliana replies.

“I thought…” Valentina says and stops, suddenly not wanting to label the other woman either. “You weren’t specific about your ex.”

“You thought I was gay?”

Juliana’s brow scrunches and her eyes are questioning. Her almost childlike expression takes Valentina by surprise. If Juliana’s reaction was genuinely true, she felt as though the other woman had missed her calling. Valentina’s mouth hangs open speechless. She’s not sure what to say in the moment and offers a shrug in place of words.

“I hadn’t really thought about it,” Juliana continues. “I just knew— I just know that I’m very attracted to you.”

A smile takes over Valentina’s face immediately in response. It wasn’t exactly a surprise that Juliana found her desirable, but there was something quite special about hearing it out loud. The verbal confirmation of her continued interest makes Valentina’s blood rush.

“Good thing my offer still stands.”

She watches Juliana’s eyes drift down to her lips, as the other woman gives her a small nod. Valentina shifts her weight back and gets up from the couch with her hand extended out. Juliana takes it and uses the leverage to stand up beside her. She laces their fingers together and licks at her lips. Valentina walks towards her bedroom and pulls Juliana behind her.

She makes no motion to turn any lights on when they arrive. Her bedroom door is open and light is spilling in from the lamps in the living room. It’s enough for them to see what they’re doing without being invasive. Valentina walks them over to the foot of her bed and turns around to face Juliana. The rain outside sounds louder in her room. Large drops are tapping against the eastern-facing windows in a more consistent fashion. She surmises that the storm must be moving in from that direction. 

Valentina lets out a small shaky breath. She suddenly feels nervous at the prospect of being intimate with Juliana. It seems odd, considering what they were doing just before. The alcohol had certainly helped the other night with dampening her inhibitions. She still felt that same overwhelming desire to be with the other woman. It was just now she had to look her in the eyes while she removes her clothing. She glances down shyly. It was so much easier when Juliana was pressed tightly up against her and their mouths were connected in a desperate yearning.

Juliana reaches up slowly and very gently pushes back the hair that curtains Valentina’s face. Her fingers brush it back past her shoulders and then move to rest on the sides of her neck. Juliana’s thumb circles the soft skin just below Valentina’s ear, as she pulls their foreheads together.

“Are you ok?” Juliana asks in a whisper.

A small smile forms on Valentina’s lips and she nods lightly.

“I don’t know why, but I’m feeling nervous,” she answers.

Juliana purses her lips and then they twitch up into a soft smile.

“You were so confident before.”

“I know.”

Valentina’s quick response nearly overlaps Juliana’s comment. She shifts her head back to look the other woman in the eyes. Juliana watches her closely, as her thumb continues to rub in the same pattern against Valentina’s neck.

“We don’t have to do anything,” she states.

Juliana’s words are just above a whisper and her eyes are locked onto Valentina’s. They seem so intense and so caring at the same time, and Valentina struggles to pull adequate air in her lungs under the other woman’s gaze.

“I know,” Valentina says. “But if you want to, I still want to.”

Juliana’s hand slips from her neck, and she slowly reaches down to grip Valentina’s wrist. She raises Valentina’s arm up and turns her head placing a soft, lingering kiss against her palm. Valentina closes her eyes at the contact.

“I want to,” Juliana whispers, as she nuzzles into her hand.

Valentina’s eyes flutter open to find Juliana watching her intently. Her own vision feels wild and unfocused. Her hand drops down to Juliana’s chest, resting on the swell of her breasts. Valentina’s tongue darts out, wetting her parted lips.

“Then I still want to.”

They both let out a small, shaky laugh at Valentina’s confirmation. Juliana smiles at her, as she grabs her by the hips and pulls them closer. Valentina’s hands immediately begin working at the buttons on Juliana’s shirt.

~~~

Valentina wipes at her wet mouth and chin, as she crawls back up to the head of her bed. The sheets are in a bunch down near the end, and she decides to momentarily leave them there instead of bringing them up to cover herself. Juliana’s skin still feels hot to the touch next to hers. The other woman is taking deep breaths, as she works to calm her racing pulse.

Valentina drops herself next to Juliana, her back hitting the mattress as she works to catch her own breath. She turns her head to glance over at the other woman with a lazy smile. Juliana has one hand in her hair and the other clutches at her chest. She’s still attempting to gather herself. The rain continues outside, and the sound of it mixed with their heavy breathing is the only one occupying the space. Valentina looks up at the ceiling for a moment. The feeling of pure, unadulterated happiness in her chest makes her suddenly realize that it’s been awhile since she’s felt this.

She rolls to her side, reaching out towards her bedside table to retrieve her phone. She wants to check the time and make sure to set an alarm for the morning. Valentina’s not typically an early riser, and she suspects that tomorrow will be a particularly difficult day to force herself awake.

She squints her eyes for a moment, when the bright screen first lights up. She notices a couple missed texts.

> _ Renata: Thanks for your help today. The event went well! _
> 
> _ Renata: Also, your brother is an idiot. I told him all he had to do was watch you two interact for like 2 seconds. You were kind of obvious. She seems sweet. We approve ;)_

Valentina’s face flushes in a combination of embarrassment and giddiness. She bites at her lip, as she pulls the phone closer to her chest.

She then suddenly feels soft fingertips brush back her hair that is resting on her neck. Simultaneously, warm skin comes in contact with her back as a pair of lips grazes her shoulder. Valentina’s eyes flutter shut, and she soaks in the sensations. When she opens them, she keeps her stare forward looking off the side of the bed. Her eyes are immediately drawn to a pair of dark brown ones that are looking back at her from the reflection of the mirrored closet doors just a few feet away.

The only light in the room is coming from the living room, and it casts an orange glow that accents the dips and curves of her bare torso. Juliana parts her lips, placing wet open-mouthed kisses on Valentina’s neck. In response, she tilts her chin up to provide better access.

Valentina blindly extends her hand out, placing her phone back on the table. Or, at least she hopes she is. She has no clue where it’ll end up. She’s only focused on Juliana’s mouth and the hand that is now drawing circles on her hip. Valentina reaches back to bury her hand in Juliana’s hair, as the woman continues biting and suckling at her flesh.

Juliana’s touch slides from Valentina’s stomach up towards her chest, and she cups her firmly. Her hips push forward into Valentina’s backside at the same time that she squeezes the breast that is in her hand. Valentina lets out a soft moan, and it draws the women’s eyes forward to connect in the reflection.

Valentina’s breaths start to quicken, as Juliana rolls a stiff nipple between her fingertips. She watches herself in the mirror—the way her body responds so strongly with every stroke. Juliana’s hand glides down her abdomen and Valentina’s muscles twitch in response. This position allows for full view of Valentina’s naked skin, and Juliana seems transfixed. Her eyes burn in the reflection of the mirror, as she takes in every inch.

“Can I touch you?” Juliana asks softly.

Valentina only nods in response. Juliana quickly slips her fingers between her legs, and they both gasp at the sensation. Valentina’s hand drops from Juliana’s hair and reaches down to grab the bed sheets in front of her. Her knuckles go white, as she grips them in her fist.

“I really enjoyed what you did to me earlier,” Juliana whispers, next to her ear. “It’s never felt like that before.”

Juliana’s fingers slide easily along her soft, wet center. Her pace is slow but persistent, and Valentina begins moving her hips in time.

“Did you enjoy it, too?”

Juliana’s fingertip applies pressure against her most sensitive spot, just as she asks the question.

“Fuck,” slips from Valentina’s mouth in response. “Yes,” she answers, through panted breaths. “A lot.”

“You know that’s my favorite, right?”

Valentina can feel Juliana’s lips draw up into a smile against her neck.

“When you enjoy it, too.”

Juliana moves down to her entrance, circling it for a moment. When Valentina starts showing signs of being impatient, she easily pushes two fingers inside. Valentina can no longer hold back. She groans loudly and matches the motion of her hips to meet Juliana’s thrusts.

“Oh god, Juls,” she whines. “Going down on you made me so wet.”

“Yeah?” Juliana replies immediately. Her hot breath panting against Valentina’s neck.

“Yeah.”

Valentina pushes her shoulders back, turning herself to face Juliana. The other woman reacts immediately, giving her room to move. Juliana settles on top of her, nestling between her legs. Valentina spreads her thighs further, hooking her ankles behind Juliana’s calves. Juliana’s hand moves quickly, her fingers sliding with ease as she continues to stroke her insides.

“Do you want more?” she questions.

She pushes the words out of her lungs through labored breaths. Valentina nods vehemently. Juliana pulls out only to enter her again with three fingers. The immediate stretch is apparent, and the other woman stills for a moment. Valentina’s mouth hangs open in silence. She blinks her eyes a few times and then their gazes lock onto each others, once again.

Valentina tentatively moves her hips, encouraging Juliana to reestablish their rhythm. The motion is slow and deliberate, and the other woman watches her face closely looking for any sign of discomfort. Valentina feels herself adjust and the slight initial pain of the stretch turns into a desirable sensation. The fullness causes Valentina’s breaths to stutter. Her small plea for “deeper” is barely audible, as is Juliana’s quick affirmation.

Juliana positions her hips to help drive her hand into Valentina as they roll against each other. She slowly pushes her fingers in, as far as they will go and pulls back out at an equal speed. They keep their eyes fixed to each others. And, then it starts.

Valentina raises her hips in time with the thrusts. She can feel the sweat collecting on the center of her chest with the effort she’s putting into it. She reaches up, pushing Juliana’s hair back from her face. The other woman’s lips twitch into a quick smile in thanks. Juliana looks enormously focused on her task at hand. Her arm and shoulder muscles strain, as she pushes faster and harder.

Valentina settles her palms against the other woman’s cheeks. She uses her grip to pull Juliana down to her. Their lips meet in an open kiss, and they messily connect over and over again throughout their movement. Valentina can feel herself quickly slipping towards her imminent climax. She’s on the precipice and struggles to maintain focus.

Juliana is reading her well, though. She picks up the pace, thrusting her own hips as quickly as possible. Valentina whines into her mouth, her short cries matching the movement of their bodies. She holds Juliana’s head in place, keeping their foreheads close together. Valentina is suddenly thankful for her high-end mattress and sturdy bed frame, as they are most definitely being put to the test. She watches Juliana’s wet lips panting deep breaths near her own. It’s in that moment, that her body finally lets go. She suddenly feels it cresting and it sends a strangled moan out of her mouth. She repeats “Juls” over and over again, unable to control herself as she clinches and releases.

Time suspends for a moment, and then she’s lifting her chin up just enough to connect their lips. Juliana crashes her mouth down into Valentina’s with enthusiasm, their tongues pushing their way inside. Valentina licks firmly at the roof of her mouth. The tip of her tongue rubs at the back of the other woman’s teeth. Juliana closes her lips, sucking deeply at the muscle and holding it in place. When she releases it, Valentina captures her swollen bottom lip, lightly pulling at the flesh as she drops her head back down to the bed.

The arm propping Juliana up finally gives out, and she lowers herself fully onto Valentina. She shifts down a little, resting her head on her chest. Valentina feels the warm puffs of air against her glistening skin. A smile is fighting its way onto her face, but she’s having to dig deep to even find the strength to hold it. She mostly just feels exhausted and incredibly satisfied. It’s only when Juliana goes to pull out of her, that she realizes that the other woman had never removed her fingers. She had quickly adapted to the sensation and almost feels a loss at their sudden absence.

The women take a moment to just hold each other, as they calm their overworked lungs and shaking limbs. Once they’ve settled a little, Juliana untangles their position and moves to lay beside her.

Valentina wants to say something, anything really, but her mind is drawing a complete blank. Her eyelids feel heavy and she struggles to keep them open.

She believes if she can’t force words in this moment, she can at least show action. Valentina offers her final effort before sleep overtakes her. She rolls to her side, nuzzling her face into Juliana’s neck.

~~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo... I didn't originally intend to write such a smexy-focused chapter. My outline for this section literally only says "Closet door mirror scene." And, then this is what happened. This is why I should always have stronger plot points drafted. The intention was to reveal why Val went like right into domestic mode the next morning. Cause she felt very well taken care of the night before, so to speak.
> 
> So, just do me a solid favor and pretend it was like super deep... just like Juliana *rimshot*
> 
> Ok. I swear I'm done being a dork. For now. Hope y'all enjoyed :)


	7. Chapter 7

Valentina closes her eyes, as she slowly leans back in her chair. She takes in a deep breath, acknowledging the light smell of salt water that lingers on the gentle midday breeze. The sensation of soft fingertips running through her hair and lightly massaging at her scalp dances across her thoughts. She relaxes into the feeling.

_“Val, would you like to have dinner with me this weekend?”_

Even now, the question causes her heart to race and her mouth to go dry. She hears Juliana’s voice and pictures her face so perfectly. Her long pause causes the other woman’s expression to shift to one of disappointment. Valentina tries her hardest to force herself to answer, but she’s trapped in her head—doomed to relive the pain of her delay.

“Can I get you anything else, Miss?”

Her eyes open at the question, and she sits more upright. She smiles politely at the waiter and shakes her head.

“Just the check.”

He gives her a simple nod and leaves to retrieve it. Valentina glances at the busy Barcelona street next to her. She blinks her eyes a few times, adjusting to the sunlight now high overhead on the cafe patio. She reaches out, picking up the champagne flute from the small table in front of her. When she first arrived, the place was quite busy. The brunch crowd has thinned out a little, and the sidewalks seem fuller than they were before.

It had been over a week since she had that conversation with Juliana. Long travel days and an unhealthy amount of work had occupied her mind since then. It had conveniently provided her with a distraction, but there continued to be one thing she couldn’t shake—one lingering moment that haunted her. She hadn’t answered ‘yes’ right away and she worries that had potentially cast doubt in Juliana’s mind.

Over the last week, Valentina made sure to text with the other woman as much as possible. She unfortunately only had small windows of time available. Where the conversations weren’t long, they had managed to move forward a little in getting to know each other. She had learned that Juliana was in Mexico City working as a fashion designer. That she had grown up with modest means in a small Texas suburb. She was an only child and was close with her mother. Valentina had shared that her own mother had passed many years ago, and that she was the youngest of three children. She talked about her job a little, trying her best not to bore Juliana with the daily drama of her work situation.

These were all things she would have preferred to have shared over a nice dinner or maybe some takeout while watching another telenovela on her couch with Juliana. But the distance had relegated them to this. The one thing this delay had afforded her was some time to work through her anxiety. It still existed to some extent, but the thing that had caused her to take pause that morning seemed to be growing smaller each day.

Everything had moved so quickly in Valentina’s brain: from the one night stand to the afternoon of cookie baking to the amazing intimacy the following evening that reignited early in the morning. Renata’s supportive text was no help, either. Everything with Juliana was insanely easy. She had never felt so instantly comfortable with someone. It was like the other woman fell perfectly in line with her life.

Then that morning Juliana’s heart started to thump faster. Valentina could hear it with her ear pressed against her naked chest. Juliana’s breath stuttered, and she asked her to dinner. And, suddenly, everything was very, very real.

In her mind, Valentina was already half way down the aisle. But the other woman’s question was a stark reminder that they had yet to even go on a single date. This warm, safe fantasy she had concocted still had an enormous number of steps. Most importantly, telling her friends and family that she wanted to date a woman. There were going to be so many questions to things she had no answers to. So many consequences she had yet to consider. It was one thing to feel this way in the quiet confines of her apartment but quite another to in the bright light of day.****

In all of this panic, her desire for Juliana never wavered. Maybe she wasn’t one hundred percent clear on her own sexuality. Maybe she didn’t have all the answers right now. She didn’t need them. She just needed to give whatever this was a shot. Once her brain finally had kickstarted back into action, she had answered with an enthusiastic “yes.” Only to suddenly remember that a day later she was going to be half way across the world.

Valentina bites at her lip, as she fumbles with the phone in her hand. The timing of this trip really was unfortunate. It didn’t help that with each work meeting she was only getting more and more frustrated with the situation. She’d much rather be back in Mexico with Juliana. Valentina looks down to see her thumb pressing the call button.

“Here you go,” the waiter says, drawing her attention up. “Hope you have a lovely day.”

She suddenly hears Juliana asking if she is ok through the speaker of the phone. She smiles at the waiter in thanks and places it up to her ear. Valentina lets out a breath to steel her nerves.

“Sorry. The waiter came up right when you answered.”

The line goes silent, and Valentina checks to make sure the call hasn’t dropped.

“You still there?”

“Yes. I’m here,” Juliana replies.

The other woman’s voice is lower than normal and a little strained. Valentina is having a very specific reaction to the sound of it, and she fights the smirk forming on her face in response. Then it suddenly dawns on her just why Juliana sounds that way.

“Oh my god. It’s like 4:45 there. I wasn’t thinking. Go back to sleep,” Valentina says in a rush.

Juliana says her name in a way that indicates that she think she’s being ridiculous.

“It’s not like I haven’t woken you up at the same time before. What’s going on?” the other woman asks.

Between her coworkers who seem to have no idea what they’re doing, her dad that keeps forgiving their behavior and her desire to just be back home, Valentina has reached her limit this week.

“I’m just stressed,” Valentina finally answers, after a brief silence. “And, a little turned on. Your sleepy voice is very sexy.”

“Can you hear me rolling my eyes from 6,000 miles away?”

Valentina feels the laugh bubble up from her chest and immediately everything seems a little lighter.

“Why are you stressed?” Juliana asks.

“Just had a frustrating meeting this morning. I had to get out of there. It was the perfect time for brunch anyway. I was finishing up my meal when I realized I really wanted to hear your voice.”

Valentina blushes at her own confession.

“My very sexy voice?” Juliana asks her teasingly, accentuating the low, graveled tone.

Valentina feels the blush spread down to her neck and she shifts in her seat.

“Stop it. Or, at least wait until I get back to my hotel room.”

Juliana’s laughter on the other end of the line makes Valentina smile broadly in response.

“Can I interest you in joining me for a walk?” she asks the other woman, as she gets up from her chair.

“Of course.”

~~~

Valentina’s eyes bounce between the screen of the phone in her hand to the gravel path in front of her. She had switched to a FaceTime call with Juliana right when she left the cafe. She always felt like a conversation was a much richer experience when you could see the expressions of the person you’re talking to. Plus, she had to admit that she missed the other woman’s beautiful face.

She was taking a short cut through the city park on the way to her hotel. They had stopped for a moment to admire the Parc de la Ciutadella, with its brilliant arches and multi-tier cascading waterfall. Now, she was back on her path focused on making her way to her intended destination.

“I’m enjoying my current view,” Juliana suddenly says.

The other woman’s statement draws her eyes to the screen, and she sees Juliana staring back at her adoringly with a closed-mouth smile across her face. She’s seen this look once before and it brings her back to the moment it occurred. She had stopped Juliana on her way out the door the other morning. Valentina had pushed herself into the other woman, pinning her against the smooth surface. She had captured her lips in a kiss that she hoped said all the things she couldn’t, given that she was trapped on a conference call.

When she backed away, she noted Juliana’s adorably perplexed expression. Then she watched her mouth shift into the same smile she was getting from her now. Valentina bites at the inside of her cheek to keep her own face from being overtaken by a lovestruck grin. If Juliana was here, she’d for sure pull her into another kiss. She toys with the idea of telling the other woman just that.

“Valentina!”

Someone calling her name pulls her from the moment. Her eyes glance around looking for the owner of the voice. When she spots a familiar face making their way towards her, she slouches slightly in disappointment. She really has no interest in talking to this guy right now. And, she’s equally nonplused that he interrupted her time with Juliana.

“Oh, hi!” Valentina says, drawing the phone to her chest.

She cannot for the life of her remember the man’s name. She only vaguely recalls his face. She’s pretty sure she’s seen him at a couple parties. He was definitely a friend of a friend type of acquaintance. He seems to remember her well, though.

“I didn’t know you were in town,” the guy states.

“Just here for a work trip. How have you been?”

“Good,” he replies quickly. “Better, now that I see you.”

Valentina winces, hoping it’s easily masked as a polite smile.

“It’s been a while. I haven’t seen you since Mateo’s party. Yeah?”

He nods enthusiastically.

“So when are you going to let me take you out? You busy tonight?”

“Oh. I don’t know,” Valentina answers, looking down shyly. “I’m not sure what my schedule is tonight.”

He watches her for a second, his eyes scanning the length of her body. It isn’t exactly a leering gaze, but it isn’t subtle either.

“I’ve got to run now, but I’ll call you later?” he asks, moving forward.

“Ok,” she responds, noncommittally.

He moves in quickly, giving her a small hug and a light kiss on the cheek. Her eyebrows raise slightly and she nods her head, as she offers him a closed-mouth smile. She watches his back, as he leaves. Then she pulls the phone away from her chest when she feels like he’s a safe distance away.

“Sorry about that,” Valentina states.

“No worries,” Juliana replies, her voice a little higher than normal. “Who was that?”

“Just a friend of a friend.”

Valentina steps forward, continuing her trek to the hotel.

“I haven’t seen him in quite a while. I forgot his name, actually. I hope he didn’t notice,” she explains.

“From what I could tell, you covered well.”

Juliana’s tone gives away the fact that she isn’t thrilled with the interruption, either. Valentina extends her stride, her boots digging harder into the gravel. She’s being a little overdramatic. She’s absolutely aware of that fact. But Juliana’s presence had started to melt away the stress. Even over the phone, it had felt like they were in their own little, secluded world. She liked that feeling. A lot. It was unfortunately gone now, and she could feel the stress starting to move back in.

She was also a little displeased with herself. Typically, she would be thrilled to run into a friend that she hadn’t seen in a while. Valentina knows she needs to find a balance where she isn’t annoyed with everyone else’s existence besides Juliana’s. She lets out a long breath, as she steps from the path back onto the city sidewalk. She can see her hotel up in the distance, just a block and a half away.

“So…” she hears Juliana say. It brings her attention back to the screen.

“Are you going to invite me up to your fancy hotel room or what?” the other woman asks. A small smirk plays at her lips, as she raises an eye brow.

Valentina’s disposition softens and she smiles. She feels her shoulders relax, as she approaches the building.

“Almost there.”

She takes the last few steps towards the front door of the hotel, pausing momentarily as the door man opens it for her. She nods at him in thanks.

“I’m pretty sure I’m going to lose you in a minute,” Valentina says, glancing around the lobby.

She sidesteps a couple checking in at the front desk and makes her way towards the elevators. She hits the call button and steps back, finally focusing her full attention on the other woman. Juliana rubs at the back of her neck, and then she slides her hand forward to cover her mouth in a yawn.

“Do you want to go back to sleep?” Valentina asks, quietly.

The idea of them being able to cuddle up together in bed right now runs through her thoughts, and she once again silently curses the distance.

“No. I’m definitely fully awake now,” Juliana responds. “I need to use the bathroom, though.”

“How about we hang up for now, and then I’ll give you a call when I get settled into my room?”

The other woman purses her lips in thought and nods quickly.

“Good,” Valentina states, biting at her lip. “I’ll talk to you soon… again.”

She laughs lightly at herself, and watches Juliana mirror her reaction.

“Can’t wait.”

The women stare at each other for a moment. Their breaths fall in unison, as their eyes connect. The dinging sound announcing the arrival of the elevator is the only thing that enables Valentina to tear her gaze away. She offers her a small wave and then finally hangs up the call.

She enters the elevator and presses the button for her floor. She pulls the phone to her chest, as she rests her back against the wall. Valentina’s unclear if she actually just let out a small giggle, but she’s definitely aware of the fact that she’s much too excited at the prospect of speaking to someone she literally just hung up with mere seconds ago. She watches the doors slowly close in front of her, as she tries to not read too much into the fluttering in her chest.

~~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi. It's been a minute since I last posted. I just have not been able to get myself in the mood to write. Hopefully, that time has passed and we can get back on the regular schedule with this. I think I was a little intimidated by this chapter, because a few of you had expressed interest in seeing the 'morning after cookie baking' scenes from Val's POV. In my outline, I planned to address that morning with Val's thoughts in Barcelona. I ended up sticking with that plan, but I didn't want it to be a disappointment. So... here we are! As always, hope you enjoyed :)


	8. Chapter 8

Valentina stares down at her plate, poking at what’s left of her dinner with her fork. The surrounding noise of the restaurant floats around her, and she struggles to stay focused on the conversation happening at her table. She places the utensil down, exchanging it for her wine glass.

As she leans back in her seat, she rotates her wrist slowly moving the glass to swirl its contents. Her eyes are drawn over to her father standing near the entrance of the place. He had stepped away from their table for a moment to take a call. She watches him place a hand on his hip, as his jaw flexes. Something is probably going on back at their headquarters in Mexico City—where she’d love to be at the moment. Well, not physically at the office. Preferably, she’d be somewhere alone with Juliana and very little clothing.

She was still reeling from their earlier conversation. Her father’s sudden knock on her hotel room door had very unfortunately interrupted her from doing something over the phone that she had never really considered doing before. But Juliana had inspired a number of firsts in her life.

“What we need to be doing is moving into markets just across the neighboring border—go multinational with our rollout.”

Valentina’s coworker’s voice pulls her attention back to the table. She watches two of her other coworkers absentmindedly nod at the comment. She takes in a small breath and leans forward. She doesn’t really want to get into this, but she doesn’t agree at all with what was said.

“We haven’t even seen the numbers yet,” Valentina states plainly. “Our researchers identified this region as the one with the most potential for market penetration. Don’t you think we should hold off to see how we perform here first?”

“See! That’s the exact type of cautious thinking in this industry that puts you behind the curve. So when the opportunity is ripe, you’re in no position to take advantage of it, essentially rendering yourself obsolete,” he counters.

Valentina places her glass down, shifting her forearms to rest against the table. She lightly rolls her eyes at him.

“I guess that’s easy to say when it’s not your money funding the venture.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize we were dipping into your personal inheritance.”

The table goes quiet at his statement. He seems to be the only one in their party that is amused by his words. She watches her coworker tip his glass back, taking a long draw of his beer as he laughs lightly to himself.

Valentina feels her other coworker’s hand lightly tap her arm to draw her attention.

“Don’t listen to him. He’s had a lot to drink,” he offers in comfort.

Her phone then lights up notifying her of a text. It’s a welcome distraction. She picks up the device, leaning back in her seat once again. A smile spreads across her face the second she sees Juliana’s name in bold sitting atop the preview. Valentina quickly presses her thumb against the sensor to unlock her phone and selects the message.

> _Juliana: My tía is insisting on buying me this. Please send help._

The accompanying photo looks like its been taken in a small dressing room. Juliana is standing in the reflection of a full length mirror, with her bottom lip slightly jutting out in a pout. In one hand she’s holding her phone up to take the picture and the other is clutching the billowed skirt of a white summer dress covered in a large flower print. Valentina bites at her lip, taking a moment to admire how the cut of the garment hugs the other woman’s body. Its clear that the style doesn’t match the person it’s on. Juliana’s slouching shoulders and knitted brow very much accentuate that fact.

> _Valentina: I’m not so sure you should turn her down. That dress makes me very excited to invite you to my quinceañera._

Valentina fights at the smirk forming on her lips. She watches closely as the three dots pulse on her screen and feels the anticipation build in her chest. Juliana replies pretty quickly, simply sending back the neutral face emoji. Its flat line mouth stares at her blankly.

> _Juliana: Val._
> 
> _Valentina: Yes?_
> 
> _ Juliana: Valentina._

The quick succession of texts causes her to laugh, and she licks at her lips.

> _ Juliana: She’s hoping that the dress will attract a nice young man into my life._
> 
> _ Valentina: In that case… I don’t care for it at all._

The motion of her father approaching the table and taking his seat catches her attention. She quickly turns off the screen and pulls the phone down to her lap. Valentina feels a slight blush of embarrassment across her face. Its like she’s been caught not paying attention in class. Her father raises an eyebrow at her behavior, as he sits down to rejoin the group.

Before she has a chance to say anything to him, her annoying coworker steals his attention with some new asinine comment. It’s the same coworker that booked them into their unnecessarily trendy seaside hotel. The man is the definition of ‘trying too hard’ and Valentina is completely over his antics. The buzz of her phone in her hands startles her. Valentina keeps it in her lap and glances down at the screen.

> _Alejandro: Are you free tonight?_

She lets out a small breath, as it finally clicks with her that that’s the name of the guy she ran into in the park earlier.

“Vale,” she hears her father say, bringing her attention back up. “We’re going to head back to the hotel now. Are you ready?”

“I…” she starts to respond and then hesitates. She watches her coworkers staring back at her expectantly. She could really use a moment away from all this. “I’m actually going to meet a friend for a drink.”

Her father offers her a curt nod in response. When he notices everyone is distracted by getting up from the table, he leans over pressing a very quick kiss against her temple.

“Be safe,” he whispers to her.

She gives him a closed-mouth smile in return, and then fires off a text responding to her friend.

~~~

“Can I get you another?”

“Yes, please.”

Valentina gives Alejandro a soft smile and watches as he turns to motion to the bartender. She’s feeling pleasantly warm and foggy after a couple drinks with him. They had agreed to meet up at a bar just a few blocks away from the restaurant she was at earlier. This location had a pretty relaxing atmosphere, nothing like the chaotic nightclubs her friends liked to frequent back home.

As soon as they had arrived to the dimly lit space, the pair had saddled up to the bar and spent their time sitting elbow to elbow just catching up. They were chatting away about the summers Valentina had spent in Barcelona during her college years. A university friend had introduced her to Alejandro during that time here. In all honesty, she was mostly thrilled just to be talking about anything other than work.

Alejandro’s gentle, hazel eyes and bright smile were a pleasant respite, as well, and the conversation flowed easily between them. The alcohol was also helping a little in that department. She finally felt like she was able to let go a little after her rollercoaster of a day.

Thankfully, Alejandro was only being mildly flirty. His hand would brush her arm lightly every once in a while as they talked, but it wasn’t intrusive. She didn’t feel any pressure from him to return the affection. She steadily grew more comfortable in his company. So much, that half way through her third drink she allows herself to be taken by the hand. He pulls her reluctantly towards the dance floor, as she laughs at his pleading for just one dance.

There was only maybe a dozen or so people in the space. Couples and groups of friends mingle casually around them. They continue to laugh, as he spins in front of her playfully demonstrating his skills. Then the music changes to a slower song and he slides in close. His hands wrap around her waist and she brings her hands up to rest against his biceps. Alejandro moves a little closer and she turns her head against his shoulder. The smell of his cologne fills her nostrils, as the warmth of his body settles against hers.

Valentina feels herself start to relax in his embrace. His familiarity lulls her into the moment, and she allows herself to be drawn in. She wonders if this is all she’s really been missing—basic human connection. Attempt after attempt, she had seemed to fail at this in the past. It was easier to just shut herself off from trying to feel anything for anyone. It’s why she hid out on couches in secluded areas at clubs. It’s why Juliana’s sudden and overwhelming entrance into her life was so unexpectedly desirable.

The stubble on Alejandro’s face lightly brushes her cheek, as he moves his head back. She can feel his eyes searching for hers, and she shifts to look at him. They lock onto each other’s gaze for a moment and then his focus shifts to her lips. He leans in and her blood races through her veins in response.

She finds it’s not due to excitement. This doesn’t feel right. Her nerves rise at the thought. His eyes, his smell, and his arms are all wrong. She wants to want this, but the honest truth is she doesn’t.

Valentina pulls back suddenly, with an apology at the tip of her tongue. The words never come, though, so she just steps back further bringing her hand up to her chest.

“I need some air.”

She turns on her heel and makes a beeline for the door. The minute she steps outside, she takes in big gulping breaths. Her head falls back, as she looks up at the sky and attempts to calm her pounding heart.

“You ok?” she hears a female voice ask.

She turns her head to the side, glancing at a young woman standing just a few feet away. The woman watches her closely, taking a short draw of her cigarette and blowing the smoke to the side away from her. Valentina smiles politely in response, as she answers timidly that she’s fine.

She takes a few steps closer to the other woman and leans back against the tall glass windows that line the front entrance of the bar. The woman extends her hand out offering a cigarette from her pack.

“No, thank you,” Valentina replies softly, lifting her hand in a small wave. “I just needed a moment to breathe.”

The woman nods in understanding, as she looks out in front of them.

“Sorry about this,” the woman says, raising her hand to indicate that she was referencing the smoke surrounding her.

“Oh. That’s not a problem,” Valentina comments, hoping her smile is enough to put the other woman at ease.

They stand together in silence. The sounds from a mild amount of city traffic and the occasional patrons passing them by on the sidewalk fill her ears only temporarily. Valentina closes her eyes for a moment and just listens.

“I think your boyfriend is looking for you,” the woman states.

She opens her eyes, turning her head towards her with a questioning look on her face. The woman nods behind them, and Valentina rotates so she can see into the bar. Alejandro is staring at her from inside, with a very concerned expression.

“He’s not my boyfriend,” she states plainly. A few drawn out seconds pass between them. “I actually have a girlfriend.”

A sudden swell of panic fills her chest, as she searches her brain desperately for why she just said that.

“Oh yeah?” she hears the woman respond. Valentina watches her rub her cigarette butt into the tray by the door. The woman passes closely in front of her, as she moves towards the entrance. Her eyes run the length of Valentina’s body and then her mouth shifts into a small smile. “Good for you.”

With that, the woman gives her a reassuring look and pulls the heavy door open to step into the bar.

Valentina feels the flush on her cheeks at the comment, and she reaches up running her hand through her hair.

~~~

The feeling of the overly plush mattress is a very welcome sensation against Valentina’s frame, as she drops herself fairly dramatically down to the bed.

Alejandro had joined her outside the bar, where she had announced that she was very tired and done for the evening. He was courteous and stood with her until her Uber arrived. She had given him a chaste kiss on the cheek and said goodnight, making it very clear that she’d be returning to her hotel room alone.

Upon arrival, she immediately slipped back into the comfortable t-shirt she had been wearing earlier in the day. She felt confident she’d have no issue at all getting to sleep tonight. Her eyelids are heavy and her thoughts are fuzzy. And, more importantly, she was plain exhausted.

She feels herself start to drift when her phone buzzes with a notification. She groans lightly, unsure if she even cares to see what it is. On autopilot her hand pulls the device up into viewing distance, and she catches Juliana’s name on the screen. The adrenaline makes her feel suddenly awake again and she clicks on the message.

> _Juliana: I’m finally back home. Guess who’s the new owner of a white floral dress she’ll never wear?_

Valentina smiles softly in response.

> _Juliana: Even after a very impassioned speech about how I work in fashion *professionally* she still made me buy it. But she also gave me the receipt in case it “doesn’t work out”_

Valentina attempts to formulate a response but finds herself opening Instagram instead. She scrolls absentmindedly, quickly taking in photos of her friends and family from the day. Then she lands on one of Juliana from a few hours ago. She’s standing with her cousin and aunt in front of a restaurant, smiling brightly. Valentina’s eyes focus in on Juliana’s face and she gets lost mapping each detail.

She thinks back to her statement at the bar. _Girlfriend._ Her brain was so eager to test that word out—to see how it’d feel rolling from her mouth. She’s not even sure if that’s what she wants. She has no clue what Juliana wants. She blames the other woman’s earlier comment about her aunt hoping the dress would attract a man. A swell of jealousy rose up in her that took her completely by surprise. She had never been a jealous person. Often, she was happy when another woman would show Lucho attention. That probably should have been a sign. But the idea of anyone else touching Juliana did not conjure pleasant thoughts.

Her phone buzzes again, and she switches back to the messages.

> _Juliana: I know its pretty late there so I’ll let you get some rest. Hope you sleep well_

Valentina watches her own curser blink in the response field of the text. She slowly types out: I miss you.

She bites at her lip, as her thumb hovers over the send button. She then quickly deletes the words and puts her phone down, deciding that some things are better said in person.

~~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the kind comments and kudos! Hope you enjoyed ;)


	9. Chapter 9

“Valentina?”

The sound of her name draws her attention up, as it echoes off the high ceilings. Her family’s home had always been full of large, open spaces decorated in the most modern, minimalist fashion. It wasn’t an intentionally cold house, but it had a tendency to feel forbidding at times.

When her mother was alive, she brought a certain warmth to the place through personal touches. Numerous family photos hung on the walls and decorative pieces that were important to their family lineage sat on appropriate surfaces. As time droned on without her, some of the small touches seemed to slip away. Her father was less concerned about such things, allowing professional interior designers to dictate much of what surrounded them.

“What are you doing over here?” Renata asks.

Valentina wipes at the tears that continue to roll down her cheeks. Thankfully, the sobbing has subsided and now she’s just left with some residual waterworks as she starts to calm. The hard surface of the polished wood steps underneath her causes her to shift uncomfortably. She wasn’t ready to formulate an answer, but her brother’s fiancé was showing no signs of walking away.

Renata watches her for a moment. A small sympathetic frown adorns her face. Valentina can hear the persistent beat of the party music playing in the distance.

“Are you ok?” Renata questions, concerned at her continued silence.

Valentina nods her head, as she wipes her face again. Renata looks back in the direction of where Valentina’s family’s birthday gathering is still in full swing. She hesitates for a moment and then makes the decision to sit down next to her on the stairs. She places her arm around the younger woman’s shoulders and rubs them gently. She takes in a deep breath and then continues her questioning.

“What happened?”

Valentina clinches her eyes shut and pushes her face into Renata’s shirt near her collarbone.

“I screwed up,” she finally admits, her voice muffled by the fabric.

“Is this a work thing?” Renata asks.

“No.”

“Is this a Juliana thing?”

Valentina pulls back to look her in the eyes and then nods slowly. Renata lifts her chin, silently encouraging her to continue.

“The short version is I invited her over, but before she got there, Sergio, Lucho and everyone showed up to surprise me. It really stressed me out to have them all in the same space, so I drank way too much and misbehaved. And, now Juliana won’t talk to me.”

Renata stares at her, one of her eyebrows arched and her mouth hanging just slightly open.

“I think I may need to hear the long version,” she responds quickly.

Valentina lets out a truncated breath, with the slightest huff attached to the end of it.

“I don’t even know,” she groans, burying her face in her hands.

Her elbows rest on her knees, as she leans forward. She turns her head to look at Renata, with the palm of her hand covering her lips. Her eyes connect with the other woman, and they watch each other for a moment. Valentina’s pulse pounds in her ears at the reality of saying her thoughts out loud.

“I’m starting to have feelings for Juliana. Feelings I haven’t had in a really long time, if ever,” she states.

Her words are barely audible with her mouth still hidden behind her hand.

Another pause settles between them.

“Well, then. I’m definitely going to need to hear the long version.”

A brief, incredulous laugh bubbles up from Valentina in response to Renata’s statement. She drags her index finger just underneath both of her eyes, hoping to wipe away any makeup that was ruined by her crying spells. She clears her throat a little and sits more upright. Valentina’s still leaning her shoulder pretty firmly against Renata. She finds that the contact grounds her.

“You remember that day you and Guille came over to bake cookies?”

Renata’s head bobs slightly confirming.

“After you left, Juliana ended up staying the night,” she explains. “I really thought after the first night we were together that I was never going to see her, again. I just wanted to talk to her and understand what she was feeling. I still felt that strong attraction and that was kind of throwing me a little. We hooked up that night, again. Of course. A few times, actually.”

She stares off into the distance at the thought. The memory of Juliana underneath her that morning, as Valentina slowly worked her way below the sheets flutters across her mind. She feels her cheeks warm, as her eyes come back into focus. She finds Renata fighting to keep herself from smiling.

“Anyway,” she continues. “She asked me out, but I was headed to Barcelona the next day. We texted and talked as much as possible while I was over there for a couple weeks. It was really nice, you know?” Valentina takes in a deep breath, holding it for a moment. “It gave me some time to think, because I was honestly a little nervous at the idea of wanting to date a woman. The decision felt like all heart, no logic—”

“I don’t know about that,” Renata interrupts her. “Juliana seems like a pretty logical choice to me.”

Valentina smirks in response. Then her brow immediately scrunches and her lips shift into a pout.

“Oh no. Don’t be sad,” Renata draws out. Her voice goes high, as she places her arm back around her shoulders. “Please keep going.”

Valentina stares forward for a moment, rubbing her hands together in thought as she bites at the inside of her cheek.

“I realized over there that I needed to talk to her about how my feelings towards her were getting a little more serious. I didn’t want to do it over the phone, though. But when I got back, I had all this stuff I had to handle. My first real opportunity to talk was the night of my birthday. So I texted her the evening before and invited her over. I was so nervous.”

She pauses for a moment, letting out a flustered breath.

“Before she got there, my friends showed up to surprise me. They had clearly already started the party without me, but I felt it would be rude to turn them away. Of course, that meant when Juliana arrived, I wasn’t going to have that alone time to talk to her. And, I just let them shove drink after drink into my hands.”

“That crowd was never my favorite,” Renata comments.

“I don’t blame them,” Valentina clarifies. “I was looking for an escape or some nerve, maybe both. Somewhere along the way, I tripped right past the line of trying to calm myself and right into being a mess. When I saw Sergio flirting with Juliana, it just made me crazy. I’ve never been a jealous person. You know this about me. But, I don’t know. The idea of him trying to get with her just… it made me stupid.”

Renata watches her closely, as Valentina shakes her head in thought. It’s clear a lot is running through the younger woman’s mind.

“What did you do?” she prompts.

“I… uh… to be honest, it’s a little bit of a blur,” Valentina swallows thickly. “But somehow I kicked everyone out, except for Juliana.”

“Good.”

“Then I proceeded to try to sleep with her when she clearly was not interested.”

“Vale,” Renata states flatly. The disapproval is heavy in her voice.

“I know,” she groans, placing her hands back over her eyes. “I was terrible. I ended up getting sick instead, and she stayed the night to take care of me.”

“And, now she won’t talk to you?”

Valentina drops her hands back to her thighs. She keeps her eyes down, as she nervously rubs at her legs. She then glances over at Renata, but finds that she can’t hold the eye contact as she continues.

“The next morning, we had a fight. She said some pretty cruel things, but I know she was just upset. I wanted to talk about what happened, but we… got distracted.”

A small breath escapes from Valentina’s lips, as she reaches up to rub at the back of her neck. The feeling of what transpired between them just yesterday morning still hangs heavy on her conscious. It was easily the most intense experience of her life, and that was counting the already super intense things Juliana had made her feel. All of the raw emotion and the built up sexual tension from weeks apart just bubbled over into something almost otherworldly.

“She had lost her patience with me. After the evening and morning I put her through, I totally don’t blame her. I’ve called her a couple times, but she won’t pick up. And, I just can’t stop crying. It’s embarrassing.”

“Vale, it’s ok. That tends to happen when your heart is broken.”

Valentina leans forward, resting her forearms on her thighs, again.

“You keep saying that,” she states softly. The words just barely passing her lips. “Like at the coffee shop. I didn’t even know her then.”

“But your heart did,” Renata replies.

Valentina looks back over her shoulder to stare at the woman skeptically.

“I know it sounds cheesy,” she continues. “And, I know you’ve been a little more closed off this past year. But your heart is so open when you let it be, Vale. I think you should be open to this.”

Valentina purses her lips, and her eyes drift away as she considers Renata’s words. When she was younger, she was definitely much more open and spiritual. She believed that all things were connected and that coincidences were rarely just that. Renata’s observation was fair. Valentina had felt herself drift from those beliefs as she got older. Her connections with people seemed thinner and less destined. She eventually just let go of those thoughts, considering them childish. Maybe her heart did know something right away that her brain refused to accept.

She can feel the other woman still watching her closely, and she offers her a small nod. Renata takes in a short breath and continues.

“Sometimes people come into our lives, and you just can’t help but connect with them right away.”

“This better not be about you and Guille,” she teases quickly.

“What better not be about Guille?”

Valentina turns her head forward to see her brother approaching them from the hall. He glances back and forth between them, as he waits for the answer. When he’s only met with silence, he decides to let it go.

“I’ve been looking for my two favorite girls,” he says, as he takes the final steps towards them and gives Renata a quick kiss on the lips. He notices the look on her face and quickly corrects himself. “Women. I said ‘women,’ right?”

He stays close to her and looks over at Valentina.

“Happy quarter century, by the way, hermanita.”

She smiles shyly in thanks, lifting her hand to cup his bearded chin briefly.

“Are you going to join your party, or should we move it out here?” he asks.

Valentina looks down at her feet, trying to hide the solemn expression on her face. Guille glances over at his fiancée and she gives him a sad, closed-mouth smile in response.

“Is everything ok?” he questions softly.

Valentina nods her head lightly.

“We don’t have to go back to the party, if you’d rather not.”

She always appreciated that about her brother. He never pressured her. There was the normal amount of sibling required teasing, of course. But protecting her always seemed to be his foremost priority. Valentina watches him with appreciative eyes.

“I’ll be ok for now,” she replies. “We can talk later?”

He nods in understanding. At that, she stands and walks down the few steps to the floor.

“Wait, real quick,” Guille says, before she makes it any further.

He pulls out his phone and switches to the front-facing camera. Her brother places one arm around her waist and extends the other out in front of them. He then glances back at Renata and nods for her to join. She’s a little taller than the pair, as she’s still standing on the first step of the stairs behind them. Renata places an arm across his shoulders and leans down.

Valentina forces her best smile, and he quickly takes a few pictures. Then Renata steps down and loops her arm around Valentina’s. They begin walking in the direction of the party. They pause for a second when they notice Guille is lagging behind.

“Keep going,” he says, not looking up from his phone. “I’m just posting this real quick so everyone know’s I’m with the birthday princess.”

Valentina rolls her eyes playfully at his antics, as the trio makes their way.

~~~

Valentina feels the warm tears on her cheeks, before it even registers with her that she’s crying. She lets out a frustrated groan at herself and lifts her head from the bed. She’s laid out on her stomach across the mattress, with her arms stretched over her head.

She props herself up on her elbows and grabs her phone sitting beside her. Valentina is desperate for any distraction.

It’s been almost a solid week since she’s last seen or heard from Juliana. At first, she hoped that the old adage of ‘time heals all wounds’ was going to ring true. But time was doing nothing to mend her heart. She knew the only thing that would fix this is the one person that she couldn’t get ahold of.

Juliana seemed to have disappeared from the world altogether. She hadn’t posted anything on her social in the past week. Valentina was only half willing to admit that she spent a little more time than necessary at the coffee shop around the corner and standing on streets that she thought the other woman may frequent in hopes of spotting her. You know, just in case they were to accidentally bump into each other and Juliana felt suddenly compelled to let Valentina apologize.

Her mind would not stop constantly fabricating conversations they could have or a different sequence of events that could have transpired that morning. She does know where Juliana works, but that seems way too invasive and inappropriate of an avenue to speaking to the other woman.

And, then there were those darker moments. The ones that told her to just let Juliana go. That the other woman had made it clear that she wasn’t wanted. That suffering through Valentina’s drunkenness and neediness were enough to turn her away forever. That maybe, for a moment, Juliana had felt a deeper connection but that moment had passed.

Valentina didn’t allow herself to settle into those thoughts too deeply. She, thankfully, had some evidence to the contrary. When Juliana had arrived the night of her birthday, the other woman had held onto her so tightly by the door. She had kissed her so deeply and reverently in her bedroom. Valentina had seen something in Juliana’s eyes that stirred her chest in a way that terrified her. As much as she was ready to talk to the other woman about her growing feelings, she wasn’t sure she was fully ready to admit what exactly those feelings were. It was all too much, too soon.

That fateful evening, she recalls wishing that her friends would have just vanished from her apartment the moment Juliana appeared. She should have locked her bedroom door. She should have laid her down on this very bed. She should have made love to her then.

_Love._

It was all too much, too soon.

Valentina blinks her eyes rapidly, as she shakes her head. She pulls herself back into the present and refocuses on her phone. She opens up Instagram and finds herself scanning quickly past new posts and navigating directly to Juliana’s profile. The latest photo is still the one of her, her aunt and her cousin. Valentina bites her lower lip in thought.

She switches over to her contacts and presses the call button. The phone rings repeatedly. She’s convinced its about to go to voicemail when he picks up.

“What’s up, Vale?”

“Sergio,” she says excitedly. “Do you have Juliana’s cousin’s number?”

~~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'all. This chapter was a bit of a beast to write. I basically wanted to retell the experience of the birthday chapters from Five Mornings, but in reverse of how they occurred. Which means it all needed to be in one go. Hopefully, it worked out. 
> 
> I haven't had a lot of time to write here lately cause work has been bonkers. There's also some very lovely comments on the last chapter I need to respond to! Just wanted to let y'all know I saw them. It always makes me the happiest ever to get any comments. 
> 
> Hope you enjoyed ;)


	10. Chapter 10

Valentina clutches at the saran wrap covered plate in her hands. She glances nervously out of the SUV window at the steady flow of pedestrians along the inner city sidewalk. Her gaze then drops to her phone beside her. _It’s time._ She swallows thickly and runs her hand up through her hair in an attempt to settle her rising nerves. Her lungs feel a little tight, like she’s forgotten to breathe for a moment. She inhales deeply hoping to soothe the sensation.

“Miss?”

She turns her attention forward, her eyes meeting her driver’s in the rear view mirror. His eyebrow is arched and his stare is questioning in a look of concern. Valentina had insisted that he drive as quickly as possible for her to reach her destination on time. It took a bit of tricky maneuvering in the heavy rush hour traffic, but they made it. Neither of them would speak of the few traffic laws that had been violated in favor of her urgency. Now that they had arrived, she assumes his curiosity is growing as to why she’s just sitting here.

“Can you please wait for me, Alirio?” she asks softly. “I’m not sure how long I’ll be, but I’ll text you as soon as I know.”

“Of course,” he responds kindly.

At that, she offers him a grateful smile and reaches over to pull at the door handle. Valentina slides off the back seat, placing her feet solidly on the concrete below her. She looks up at the building they are parked beside and closes the door. She repeats to herself the address she memorized, confirming again that she’s in the right place. As she approaches the front, someone leaving holds the door to the building open for her. She steps tentatively into the foyer, her eyes bouncing all over the space to get her bearings. Once she assesses that there is no elevator, she slowly makes her way to the stairwell at the end of the hall.

The first two flights of stairs go easily, but the third causes her legs and lungs to burn a little more than she was prepared for. She figures her nerves are partly to blame. It couldn’t possibly be the drinking, or the fact that the last time she worked out with her brother, she spent more time looking at her phone than actually moving her body.

Valentina makes her way down the third floor corridor carefully reading the tarnished brass numbers affixed to each of the doors. When she finds the one she’s looking for, she moves to stand squarely in front of it. She listens for a sound—any sound really—that will give her an indication that someone is home. She hears what appears to be a child’s voice from down the hall, but nothing behind her door.

She takes in a deep breath and knocks firmly on the smooth wooden surface in front of her. She bites at her lower lip while she waits. Her heart is racing and her pulse feels thready in her veins. About thirty seconds passes and there’s no response. She knocks, again.

Another thirty seconds and still nothing.

Valentina pulls up her phone to look at her texts, verifying for the tenth time that she’s in the right location. Feeling a little exposed, she turns her body pressing her back against the wall beside the door. She flips through her messages with Juliana’s cousin, and then decides to send one.

> _Valentina: Hi. You said she got off work at 5, right? I don’t think she’s home_

She drops her hand to her side and looks up and down the long, narrow hallway. An older man carrying what appears to be a bag of groceries shuffles by her, and she gives him a polite smile. He only glances at her briefly and then fishes a large set of keys from his pocket, entering a door a few doors down. She feels her phone buzz in her hand.

> _Natalia: right but it’s only 5:30_

Valentina watches the three dots pulse and waits patiently for the next message.

> _Natalia: you’ve never taken a bus before have you?_

She lets out a huff at the other woman’s very accurate assessment of her life.

> _Valentina: Gotcha. Thanks!_

Feeling foolish at how quickly she had rushed over here, Valentina slouches a little against the wall. She’s not sure how long she’ll be waiting, but she’s made peace with her destiny. She sends a quick text to Alirio to update him on the situation.

After about twenty minutes of shifting on her feet, she gives up and decides to just take a seat. The carpet below her isn’t exactly filthy, but it is not the cleanest and definitely worn with age. As she sets her plate down beside her, she considers going back to wait in the car but quickly decides it would stress her out more if she missed Juliana’s arrival.

She reviews all of her friend’s social feeds to pass the time and then turns to reading through old texts. She scans through previous conversations with Juliana, but it only serves to make her feel even lonelier. She lets her head fall back against the wall, and she closes her eyes.

Valentina was very grateful that Sergio was willing to contact Natalia on her behalf. She decided her best shot at winning the other woman over with a convincing plea was to attempt it in person. She took her out for coffee and explained as much of the situation as she could without giving away anything too intimate. She wasn’t sure how much of their relationship Juliana had revealed to her cousin—or anyone really.

It turned out that Natalia wasn’t too hard of a person to convince. She seemed to enjoy the attention and had no hesitation in sharing information. The other woman loved to talk, and Valentina was willing to listen if it meant she would help. Pretty early on, she promised to send Juliana’s address to her. Natalia never directly admitted it but, after some conversation, Valentina started to get the impression that between Sergio’s and her knowledge they had pieced together at least a little of what was going on here. Sergio had insinuated as much the most recent time she spoke with him. She really didn’t care what they assumed about her, but she did want to protect Juliana’s privacy.

Clearly, though, she didn’t want to protect it enough to not track Juliana down. She wasn’t sure what she expected but, no matter what, she needed some form of closure.

“Valentina?”

Her heart leaps at the sound. She’d know that voice anywhere. Her eyes flutter open, and she takes in the sight in front of her. Juliana is standing a few feet away from her, looking down with the most perplexed expression. Valentina’s mouth shifts into a small smile. She stares up at her adoringly. Words seem to have abandoned her, as the seconds tick by.

“Hey,” she finally manages to say.

Juliana continues to stand perfectly still—like if she moves, the world will crumble around them.

Valentina pushes at the wall behind her, moving her legs to stand up. When she’s upright, she wipes her palms lightly against her jeans and then slides them into her back pockets. She swallows thickly, as she stares intently at the other woman.

“Can we talk?”

The question hangs between them for a moment, and then Juliana nods ever so slightly. She pulls her keys out of her bag and takes a step towards the front door. Valentina bends over at the waist, her long arms quickly retrieving her plate from the floor.

She watches as the other woman struggles to get the key into the lock. Her hands are shaking and she’s clearly growing more flustered with each second. Valentina opens her mouth to offer to help, when suddenly Juliana gets it. The lock unlatches with a loud click. She turns the handle and pushes the door open.

Valentina holds back for a second, not wanting to crowd the other woman. Juliana senses her hesitation and glances over her shoulder making brief eye contact. It feels like the unspoken permission she’s looking for, so she finally enters.

There’s still enough daylight outside to cast a decent amount of light across the small space. The apartment is sparsely decorated, but the pieces that are there look comfortable and very distinctly Juliana. She vaguely recognizes the living room and kitchen from their FaceTime call in Barcelona.

“Can I get you something to drink?” Juliana asks.

Valentina is still standing just inside the doorway. Her gaze moves to connect with the other woman’s at her question.

“Some water would be nice,” she replies.

The second she finishes her statement, Juliana looks away shyly and nods.

“Please. Have a seat,” she requests, as she walks over to the fridge and pulls out a pitcher. “Just water?”

Valentina makes her way over and sits down on the small couch. She places her plate on the nearby coffee table.

“Yes. I’m trying this new thing where I hydrate myself.”

She hears a short release of breath from Juliana that sounds almost like a small laugh. She then watches as the other woman pours her a glass and walks over. She hands the water to her and takes a seat on the couch, leaving a comfortable space between them.

“Thanks,” Valentina whispers.

Her eyes are glued to the other woman’s, and they both just settle into the stare. The moment feels so warm and reassuring, and Valentina wants to kick herself for ever ruining this. She blinks rapidly, attempting to stay focused.

“I brought you something,” she says, looking over at the plate of cookies on the table.

She watches Juliana’s eye line follow her path. The look of surprise on the other woman’s face is nearly enough to make her respond in laughter, but she restrains herself. The silence between them starts to make her feel anxious, and she decides her offering needs an explanation.

“I made them myself,” she says quickly. “I tried to spell out ‘SORRY’ with chocolate chips, but then they melted in the oven and it got all weird. They just look like some sort of cult symbols or something.”

Valentina picks up the plate, briefly looking closer at the cookies to see if she could make out her original configuration of chips. She then extends it towards Juliana, offering her one. They both select their cookies, and she sets the plate back down.

She takes a small bite and chews slowly. She watches as the other woman does the same. As the taste settles on her tongue, it becomes obvious to her that she screwed up something in the recipe. She probably should have learned from her previous mistakes, but Juliana was so damn distractingly beautiful when they baked them together before. She can tell that the other woman is politely trying to chew through this disaster. Valentina quickly decides there’s no reason for both of them to suffer anymore than they already have.

“These are terrible,” she confesses.

Their eyes connect, again, and it only takes a second before they’re laughing at the ridiculousness of the moment. Valentina’s pretty sure her heart is going to explode in her chest at the sound of the other woman’s laugh. It makes her feel lighter than she has in weeks. She quickly takes a sip of water to wash away the taste of the cookie, and then she offers the glass to Juliana. The other woman accepts it with a small smile.

Juliana takes a sip and then looks down, breaking their gaze. Valentina finds she misses it the minute it drops.

“I’m sorry, too.”

Valentina momentarily stills at the other woman’s soft confession. She then shakes her head a little. Juliana shouldn’t be apologizing. She should.

“I know there’s no excuse for the way I behaved,” the other woman states. “I don’t know how to…”

Valentina can’t sit patiently through this. She doesn’t want Juliana to believe this is anyone’s fault but her own.

“I lied,” she says firmly.

Juliana looks at her with confusion in her eyes.

“I said I mostly only remembered my toilet seat, but that’s not what I remember from that night,” Valentina admits. “I remember you hugging me by the front door. I remember how warm and calm I felt with your arms around me. I remember not wanting to let you go, but having an apartment full of people that just showed up out of the blue that I had to deal with.”

Valentina takes a deep breath to try and calm her racing pulse.

“I remember kissing you in my room. I remember you kissing me back and feeling like I could just melt into a puddle right then and there. I remember watching Sergio flirt with you. I remember wanting to tell him to back off. That you were spoken for. That those eyes and that laughter and your lips were mine. And, then I remember realizing I had absolutely no right to feel that way.”

This was it. She was laying everything out for Juliana. She was trying her hardest to open her heart and not be dissuaded by the fear and numbness that had clouded the past couple years of her life. She wasn’t hiding behind velvet ropes in a foggy club drowning herself in Mezcal anymore. She was here, in this tiny little apartment finally admitting out loud that she wanted something.

“I drank too much that night,” she continues. “I tried to cover all of these emotions with alcohol and sex, but I remember them all.”

Juliana reaches forward and cups her cheek gently.

“Don’t cry,” she says, as her thumb caresses her skin.

Valentina hadn’t noticed the tears on her cheeks until the other woman reached up to wipe them away.

“I haven’t been able to do much else.”

“Me too,” the other woman states.

Her eyes continue to scan Valentina’s face and then her gaze settles on her. There’s so much intensity behind those deep brown eyes. She watches as the slightest shifts in Juliana’s expression morphs through a myriad of emotions. The other woman’s lips finally shape into the smallest pout, as her index and middle fingers push back a lock of hair past Valentina’s ear.

“We’ve done this all backwards, haven’t we?”

Valentina can only nod in response.

“You were supposed to be a one night stand,” Juliana says, her tone in awe of how that hadn’t worked out at all as planned.

“Tell me about it. I thought you were going back to Texas, and I’d never see you, again.”

Valentina lets out a small, sad laugh as she finishes her statement. The other woman smiles at her openly. They were quite the pair. There was nothing about the way they met that should have resulted in this predicament. But here they were.

“I don’t understand how I can know so little about you, but feel so much for you.”

Juliana’s words echo in Valentina’s ears, and she’s quite confident she’s never identified more with a statement in her entire life. It takes her breath away. They both were trying desperately to hold themselves back from fate. They both were determined to not move too quickly—to not let themselves fall too fast. She places her hand softly on the other woman’s knee.

“I swear I’m not trying to steal your line, but would you like to have dinner with me this weekend?” Valentina asks. “Like a real date. One where we can have a meal and actually talk to each other. Not where we say we’re going to talk and then just shove our tongues down each other’s throats.”

Juliana fights the smirk that’s attempting to form on her face.

“That sounds nice,” the other woman says.

“Which part?”

“All of it. But the date part, specifically.”

Juliana’s bright eyes spike Valentina’s heart rate. She can feel her chest rise and fall, as her steady breaths flutter past the growing smile on her lips.

Valentina wants to launch forward and capture Juliana’s mouth with her own. She wants to lay the other woman down on the couch and eliminate every inch of space between them. Every cell in her body is screaming for her to do just that, but she can’t. She needs Juliana to know that she wants so much more from her than just their physical connection. She’s got to get out of here before she throws herself at the other woman.

“Ok. I’m going to go,” she states, swallowing thickly.

Juliana looks disappointed at her sudden choice to leave, but she can tell the other woman knows its for the best.

Valentina stands and makes her way over to the door. She opens it quickly and then takes a small step out. As she turns around, she finds Juliana right behind her. She moves her arm up to lean against the door frame. Valentina licks her lips, as she scans the other woman’s face.

“So I’ll pick you up here tomorrow at seven?” she asks.

Juliana nods and then reaches out to grasp her hand. She moves in a little closer. Valentina can feel the other woman’s breath against her wet lips.

“Good night,” Juliana states softly.

Their eyes connect and she can see the longing in them. Juliana is giving her the choice to kiss her, and its driving Valentina just a little bit insane. All she’d have to do is lean the slightest bit forward and their mouths would connect. For a second, she entertains the thought. She knows exactly where it would lead, though, and the idea of it lights her on fire.

She lets out a small, shaky breath instead.

“Night,” she whispers.

She squeezes Juliana’s hand in comfort and turns to walk down the hall. When she gets a few feet away, she glances back to see the other woman still standing in the doorway watching her. She feels the smirk form on her face and she raises an eyebrow. Valentina offers her a small wave and then continues on her path.

When she hears the door close behind her in the distance, she sends a message to Alirio to let him know that she’s on her way down. She finds walking down the stairs and away from Juliana now is almost as challenging as going up them before. This time, it’s for an entirely different reason.

~~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo... this was not what I had originally planned. But I think my brain was just ready for them to be back together. I sat down to write last night and it was like, "ok, look. Here's whats going to happen..." It's a bit of a repeat chapter, but I think that's fair as we wind our way down towards the end. We only have 1 or 2 chapters left. Not sure how the pacing will exactly work out. I'm excited to share what's next in this story, as it is brand. spanking. new.
> 
> Hope y'all enjoyed! :)


	11. Chapter 11

Valentina’s fingertips slide softly across her full bottom lip. The touch is so light that the warmth registers more than the actual contact. Her eyes are fixed on the woman sitting to her left. She watches her intently, letting her gaze drift over the smooth slope of her nose, lips and jaw. She’s familiarized herself so much with this view that she’s confident even blindfolded that she could pinpoint every feature with complete accuracy. Maybe she should give that a try sometime. Her tongue moves, the tip of it licking at the corner of her mouth as she attempts to hold back a sheepish smile at the thought.

“What?” Juliana whispers.

Valentina can tell she’s been caught staring, again. Her cheeks pink in response and she glances down shyly. When she looks back up, she notices the other woman is still watching her. She’s also shifted her body a little closer. Their thighs are now touching beneath the table. Juliana’s lips are parted just barely, and she can see her tongue pressing behind her teeth. It’s something the other woman tends to do right before leaning in to tease her. Or, sometimes to kiss her. Valentina’s prepared for either, but hoping for the latter.

“You two.”

The sound of Natalia’s voice cuts through the moment. They stay close, but look over at her.

“I’m about to ask the waitress for more water just so I can throw it on you. We’re trying to have a respectable dinner over here.”

“I have no problem with this,” Nico says, his eyes bouncing back and forth between them.

His comment earns a roll of the eyes from all three women, as Sergio and him laugh at his very obvious, poorly received joke. Valentina glances over at Lucho. He’s keeping his focus on his plate and silently chewing his food.

“You get one warning, Nico,” Juliana states.

Both his and Sergio’s face drops immediately in response to her stern tone.

Valentina has an entirely different reaction to her commanding voice, reaching out to place her hand on top of the other woman’s leg. The slightest shift on Juliana’s face lets Valentina know that she is aware of the touch.

It had been officially just over four months since they first met. The couple was taking their time to get to know each other, as planned. The relationship had been a little more on fast forward than a typical courtship, seeing that they had agreed to be girlfriends after their first date.

Valentina was incredibly pleased to discover that each thing she learned about Juliana only made her feelings grow stronger. They certainly didn’t agree on everything, but nothing had revealed itself yet that called into question their desire to be together. Juliana felt to her like someone she had always known. It was like she was reconnecting with an old friend, more so than getting to know a stranger.

Day after day of coffee meetups, lunches and dinners, breakfasts and brunches, walks through the park, packed movie theaters and lazy Sundays on the couch went by before she finally started to forget that she was supposed to be waiting for the other shoe to drop. It was terrifying, but she chose to let herself fall into this heart first.

She feels Juliana place her hand on top of hers. The other woman squeezes it affectionately, as she continues animatedly explaining something to their friends. That was another thing that had changed. Juliana was starting to build more connections in Mexico City. She didn’t have a large social circle, but she was closer to more people in and outside of work.

This was their first shared friend dinner. After numerous complaints about how they were both never available anymore, they decided it was time for the people they were closest to to meet. It wasn’t as nerve-racking as Valentina expected. Although, she was confused why Lucho had accepted the invitation. She was sure he would have picked up on the fact that it was more courtesy than anything.

Valentina takes a long sip of her wine, as she glances over his way. When she places her glass back on the table, she notices Juliana looking towards her own lap. Valentina’s gaze naturally follows the other woman’s below to where her hand sits. She’s running her fingertips from the top of her mid thigh down towards the inseam of Juliana’s jeans. The thin material is warm from her repeating path. Apparently, her restless need to move her hands was something that hadn’t changed. 

Juliana raises her eyebrow in question of Valentina’s attention. She only shrugs in response, and her girlfriend purses her lips and shakes her head. Valentina glances around the table to make sure everyone is sufficiently distracted and then leans in close to Juliana’s ear.

“Are you worried that I’m going to show Nico something he’s never seen before?” she whispers.

“Oh. I’m pretty sure he’s downloaded plenty of these types of videos.”

Valentina laughs lightly at Juliana’s quip, and her mouth draws into a sly smile.

“No,” she says, releasing a quick breath. “I mean, he’s going to finally see what you look like when you’re turned on.”

Juliana seems stunned into silence. Her mouth hangs open in pause, so Valentina continues.

“I just keep looking at this guy thinking he had the amazing privilege of going down on you and only put in minimal effort. What even is that?”

“Ok. Ok,” her girlfriend responds quietly, placing her hand on Valentina’s to still the movement on her leg. “What has gotten into you?”

Juliana doesn’t sound angry. There’s a genuine concern in her eyes. Her brow is scrunched in question, as she waits for an answer. Valentina’s gaze connects with hers, and she takes in a deep breath to calm her rising anxiety.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to be disrespectful,” she apologizes, as she moves back a little. “I think the blossoming bromance between your ex and Sergio is making me feel weirdly territorial. I wasn’t sure how I was going to respond to meeting Nico. I know you’re good friends.”

They watch each other for a moment. Valentina ducks her head, feeling a little embarrassed at her behavior.

“Thank you for apologizing,” Juliana replies, her head lowering to meet Valentina’s gaze. “You know you have nothing to be jealous about, right?”

Juliana pulls her hand up and kisses the back of it softly. Valentina feels her chest tighten at the gesture.

“I mean, should I be jealous of Lucho?” the other woman asks.

Neither of them bother to look at him. They just stare at each other closely in an unspoken contest, waiting for the other to break. It doesn’t take long before a giggle bubbles up from Valentina, and Juliana joins her. As their laughter settles, Valentina’s gaze drifts down to the other woman’s mouth. Her eyes narrow and she releases a breath, as she watches Juliana bite at her bottom lip. The air grows thick between them.

“Stop,” Juliana begs in a whisper, as she fights to pull her gaze from Valentina’s mouth. “Do you want my cousin to really throw water on us?”

“If you’re asking if I want to see you wet? Then the answer is very much yes.”

Juliana can’t help the smirk that overtakes her face. She leans closer, and Valentina’s eyes flutter shut in anticipation.

“Ladies,” Sergio suddenly calls out.

They both regrettably back away from each other and turn towards him. He continues now that he has their attention.

“We’re ready to leave when you are. We’re going to go dancing. You’re welcome to join.”

As he finishes his statement, everyone moves to get up from the table. Valentina glances over at Juliana to get a read on her interest. She shakes her head in a nearly imperceptible manner. It’s enough for Valentina to understand.

The group slowly moves towards the front of the restaurant, continuing to talk as they make their way out. Lucho holds the large glass door open for everyone as they exit. Valentina watches Juliana chat with her cousin in front of her. She’s the last in line, and she stops next to Lucho when she gets to him. Their eyes meet, and he gives her a closed-mouth smile.

“You ok?” Valentina asks, softly.

“Yeah,” he answers. “I just…”

A silence falls between them, as they watch each other.

“You never looked at me like that.”

Valentina stills at his words. Her eyes stay fixed to the same direction, as Lucho steps in front of her. His arm is extended out with his palm pressed against the glass door continuing to hold it open. He nods his head to the side, motioning for her to join him. They walk out onto the sidewalk together where their friends are gathered. She watches as he continues over to Sergio. He whispers something to him and Sergio nods in response. Lucho slides his hands into his pockets and begins walking away from them down the street.

Sergio then moves closer to Valentina, and she gives him a concerned look.

“He’ll be alright,” her friend explains. “He’s going to meet us at the club. He just wanted to take a walk first.” They both glance in Lucho’s direction. Sergio takes in a deep breath and continues. “I honestly think this is for the best. You know, to see you in love. The guy never really knew how to let go.”

A small moment of silence hangs between them. She hadn’t really talked to Sergio about how deep her feelings were for Juliana. She guesses its something that didn’t need to be stated. She looks down at her feet for a second, feeling suddenly a little shy at his observation.

“Are you two joining us tonight?” he asks.

Valentina looks back up, and her face falls into an apologetic expression.

“Oh, no. I don’t believe so,” she answers. “We both have to work tomorrow, and…”

She hesitates, not sure exactly how to explain that they’d really rather be alone.

“I know,” he replies with a laugh, letting her off the hook from having to finish the statement. “I already texted Alirio on your behalf.”

Valentina gives him a grateful smile, and they move closer to where her girlfriend is standing with Natalia and Nico. As she approaches, she gently slaps Juliana’s backside to get her attention. The other woman yelps in response and turns around with a scowl. The group laughs, and Sergio rubs at his chin. His gaze drops down to where Valentina has placed her hands. She brings her arm up across Juliana’s shoulders, pulling the other woman closer.

“Eyes up here buddy,” she states to Sergio. “I saw it first. It’s mine.”

A black SUV approaches the curb and Valentina glances over quickly.

“I think, technically, I saw it first,” he replies.

Valentina watches as Juliana shakes her head and moves to hug Nico and then her cousin. She hears her promise to text them later, and she walks towards the car. Juliana opens the door, holding on to the handle as she looks back at her. Valentina steps closer.

“You know, Val. I’m pretty sure Sergio is right about this one,” Juliana says teasingly, nodding in his direction.

Valentina shakes her head, as she climbs in. She takes the other woman’s hand and pulls her into the SUV behind her.

~~~

A series of electronic beeps echoes through the stark, well lit hallway.

“Fuck,” Valentina whispers, her hands shaking. “You have to stop that, or I’m going to get us locked out.”

Juliana withdraws her hand from where it was caressing the skin just underneath the hem of Valentina’s dress. The other woman was standing tightly against her back with her arms wrapped around her waist. Her girlfriend’s fingertips were circling the insides of Valentina’s thighs, as she desperately attempted to focus on opening the front door to her condo.

“You started it at the restaurant,” Juliana nearly whines softly into her ear.

Valentina lets out a long breath and then quickly punches the correct number in. When she hears the lock unlatch, she grabs onto Juliana’s forearm and pulls the other woman through the threshold. As soon as the door closes, she locks it back and turns around. A beat passes in the dimly lit foyer and then she pushes the other woman up against the wall. Valentina’s mouth crashes into Juliana’s and she lets out a moan. She’s been wanting to do this all night. It’s felt like ages since she last tasted her lips. In reality, it’s only been a few hours.

She could tell her teasing at dinner had Juliana feeling on edge the whole ride home. The other woman didn’t seem to be in much of a mood for a warm up. Her hands quickly move from holding Valentina’s hips to pulling at the zipper on the back of her dress. Their lips stay locked in the embrace, with their tongues warmly massaging each others. As soon as Valentina’s dress is unzipped, Juliana’s hands drop down to the bottom and she grips the fabric in her fists. She bunches it, as she works to slide the garment up and over her head. Once it’s off, Juliana tosses it to the floor. She then flips their position, using her body to press Valentina firmly into the foyer wall. Her hands immediately find the sides of Valentina’s underwear and she works them in the opposite direction.

Juliana’s mouth leaves a trail of open kisses across her skin, as she lowers to her knees. She helps Valentina out of her heels and then pulls her underwear the rest of the way off, as well. Juliana slides her hand behind one of Valentina’s legs. When she gets to her knee, she encourages the limb to move over her shoulder. It gives her the access she craves, and she places her mouth on Valentina’s wet center.

Valentina cries out immediately, dropping both of her hands and burying her fingers in Juliana’s hair.

The other woman works at the length of her. Dipping her tongue inside to taste her and then sliding up and down rhythmically. They maintain eye contact. Juliana stares up at her intensely, as she moves. Valentina’s mouth hangs open, as she fights to not grind herself shamelessly against the other woman’s face.

“Oh, god. Yes,” she whines, holding Juliana’s head where she needs her most.

Her girlfriend takes the suggestion and focuses her attention there. Valentina can’t keep her hips still any longer, and they roll in tandem with the movement.

The moment is vaguely reminiscent of that heated morning after her birthday, and Valentina blinks suddenly at the thought. This time, Juliana isn’t holding back though. There’s no fear or hurt behind her eyes. She’s just openly staring up at her as though she’s the only thing that exists in the world. It’s too much and just the right amount—all at the same time. Valentina begins to shake, as her body starts to give in to the delicious attention she’s receiving.

She loosens her grip on the other woman’s head and moves a hand to join one of Juliana’s. It’s pressing against her hip, attempting to keep her thrusting at bay. She places it on top of Juliana’s hand and they immediately thread their fingers together.

Valentina squeezes her hand and thighs tighter, as the swells of pleasure pulsate through her body. They break eye contact and she leans her head back against the wall. Her throat strains in stuttered cries, as her hips roll and jerk against Juliana’s mouth. She can’t fight the soft whimpers that escape her parted lips, as the other woman slows her tongue.

Juliana works her way back up Valentina’s body, leaving a similar trail of kisses that she placed on the way down. When she is fully standing, Valentina pulls her head away from the wall to make eye contact once again. They watch each other for a moment, simple smiles adorning both of their faces. Valentina drops her head forward, nuzzling her way into Juliana’s neck. She places soft kisses on her pulse point.

They stay like that for a moment—just holding each other silently in the dark. Their breathing and hearts slowly work towards a more normal rate.

Without thought, Valentina hears herself softly whisper “I love you” against Juliana’s skin. She feels the other woman grip her even tighter in response.

~~~

“I just realized that I left my overnight bag at my place,” Juliana states.

She emerges from the bathroom, her head turned to the side as she lightly rubs at her wet hair with a towel. She’s wearing one of Valentina’s robes. It hangs loosely tied on her frame. Valentina looks up at the other woman from where she’s sitting on the bed, thumbing through her phone. She’s also in a silk robe, with her damp towel bunched up in her lap.

When things finally settled down in the foyer earlier, she had stated that she was still into the idea of seeing Juliana wet. That had quickly led to a feverish round two in the shower. The memory of the other woman clinching around her deeply buried fingers brings a flush to Valentina’s chest and neck.

She starts to open her mouth to respond when Juliana continues.

“Don’t you dare say we could call Alirio. We can’t have that poor man driving across town all night.”

Valentina shuts her mouth and raises her eyebrow at her. Her girlfriend joins her on the bed, taking a seat with her legs crossed facing her.

“I wasn’t going to say that,” she defends. “I was going to say that Chivis dropped off our laundry earlier. I think some of your work clothes are in there.”

She nods towards the neatly folded pile sitting on her dresser.

“She usually puts them away, but she wasn’t sure where to put your stuff.”

“Oh,” Juliana responds, her voice a little higher than normal. “Well, that’s convenient.”

She leans forward, twisting her hand in the lapel of Valentina’s robe. She uses the leverage to pull her forward so she has easier access to place a warm kiss on her mouth. Her girlfriend lingers for a moment, softly tasting her lips. When she sits back, Valentina hums in agreement with her eyes closed.

“I was thinking…” she starts to say and then opens her eyes.

Juliana’s hand is in her lap, resting on her towel.

“You done with this?” the other woman asks. At Valentina’s nod, she picks it up. “I’ll go hang these up. Please continue.”

Valentina stalls for a moment watching Juliana walk back into the bathroom. Her throat suddenly feels a little constricted at verbalizing her next words. When Juliana appears in the doorway, again, their eyes meet. Her soft gaze relaxes Valentina, and it gives her confidence.

“You’re always running back and forth between here and your work and your apartment. It takes a lot of time. Maybe, you could... just move in with me?”

Valentina can hear her heart thumping loudly in her ears. Juliana slowly walks back over and joins her on the bed. She stays silent, as she encourages her to lay down with her. They prop their heads up on the stacked pillows as they lie on their sides facing each other. Juliana moves her body closer so that they’re only inches apart. She places her hand on Valentina’s face, cupping her jaw as her thumb rubs circles just beneath her ear.

“I love you,” Juliana says quietly.

Valentina’s heart swells and her chest tightens. She knows she’s not going to hear the answer she wants, but she can’t stop the same physical reaction every time Juliana says those words to her.

“It’s not that I don’t want to be with you every moment, because I do,” the other woman states. “I would just feel better having my own space for a little while longer.”

Valentina nods and then averts her gaze towards Juliana’s chest. She reaches out, playing with the fabric of her robe between her fingertips.

“That’s ok,” she says. “I just want you to know that you have the option.”

“How about this?” Juliana counters. “How about I give you a key to my apartment, and you give me a key to yours?”

“You already know all the security codes here,” she replies.

Valentina makes eye contact, again. Her lips twitching into a small smile. Juliana smiles in response, looking up.

“True,” the other woman continues. “But what if we sweetened the deal? What if we reserved a drawer in our dressers for each other and maybe space on bathroom counters for each other’s toiletries?”

“Am I going to need to buy new furniture for this master plan?”

“No. It’s called sharing. This will be practice for living with someone in your space.”

She pouts playfully in response. The other woman takes the opportunity to move forward and capture Valentina’s extended bottom lip between her teeth, lightly nipping at the flesh. When she pulls back quickly, Valentina follows her connecting their mouths in a deeper kiss. She places her hand on Juliana’s hip, pulling her closer. Valentina slips her thigh between the other woman’s legs, and their bodies naturally move to be flush against each other.

“All this talk about space is making me want you in mine, again,” she says, keeping their mouths close.

Juliana smiles into the kiss, and she buries her hand into Valentina’s thick hair. Valentina can feel the other woman lightly massaging the back of her head, as they languidly and intimately embrace. She wants this to be their everyday. With a little time, she knows it can be.

“This is killing you, isn’t it?” Juliana asks.

Valentina nods quickly.

“I’m willing to wait,” she offers. “Forever…”

“You’re not that patient.”

“I’m not.” Valentina states with a smile, as she shifts her hips to roll on top of the other woman. “But I have faith that we’ll be on the same page soon enough. And, then you can be in all my drawers all the time.”

Juliana’s light laughter echoes off her bedroom walls. The other woman gazes up at her softly.

“Deal.”

The End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Congrats! You made it to the end! This was definitely a very interesting experience for me. I'm not one to usually enjoy rewriting things. Even though I like to have a solid idea of this stuff going into every story, it was good to dive a little deeper into character perspective and motivation. Y'alls encouragement was such a big help along the way. I enjoyed writing Five Mornings and Five Evenings so much. I hope it provided a little escape and a little fantasy to your worlds, too.
> 
> I have a couple ideas brewing for what's next. I was working on the outline for a Roommates AU, but this Desenfrenadas situation has sparked a Roadtrip AU idea, too. We'll see what wins out in my brain!
> 
> Thanks so much for sticking with me and leaving all the comments and kudos. See y'all next time ;)


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